


You are in my Bed, but your Heart isn't

by thinlines



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha Liam, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Angst with a Happy Ending, Banter, Bassist Harry, Because I really like Jealous Harry haha, Beta Niall, Beta Zayn, Drummer Zayn, Friends to Lovers, Harry pov, He is just dealing with "feelings", Humor, Jealous Harry, Knotting, Lead Singer Louis, Louis POV, Louis also cries a lot during sex and also on a daily basis, Louis fucks around a lot but he is good, Lovers To Enemies, M/M, Manager Liam, Omega Louis, Possessive Harry, Rough Kissing and Sex, Sharing Heat, Strangers to Friends, Swearing, They all write their own shit, Zayn is kinda an arsehole but he is good, a lil bit of fluff, but he's not weak, guitarist niall, then back to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 07:48:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19825696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinlines/pseuds/thinlines
Summary: It was 3 in the morning when Harry felt the dip of the mattress and tiny hands slipping around his waist. Hot and clammy against his cool skin. He could smell other people on Louis and it stank. Louis reeked of tequila, cigarette and alpha. Always the smell of some other alpha. Harry shifted testily."Did I wake you Haz?" The boy plastered behind his back grumbled sleepily. Tiny hands snaking under his shirt, lightly scratching his skin. "You have to stop crawling into my bed when you smell like some other alpha." Harry had meant to say "no, go back to sleep" but he couldn't stop his tongue."Don't hate me, Harry. I don't want you to hate me."OR Rock Band AU. Louis is an omega who fucks around, doesn't know the meaning of "feelings" until he starts crawling into Harry's bed at night. Harry gets jealous easily and they all write a lot of songs about each other.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, people! I've been furiously working on this fic for the past week. I was in college and missed out 3 years in the fandom... BUT I'm back and I am so obsessed with ABO fics that I wanted to try writing one myself. But like I'm bad at it so don't judge me there are so many amazing abo fics out there. This is the longest fic I have ever written. I just want to say that I really didn't do a lot of research, I wrote for fun... English is not my mother tongue so I mixed both British and American English in this fic. Don't hate me if you find it a little confusing. Thank you so much for reading. Feel free to comment and share. One more thing, there is a lot of swearing in this fic... so if you get triggered by the swearing, you have been warned... ALSO, there are a lot of songs in this fic and they r all my favs but damn I just gotta say the fact that sweet creature is about Louis keeps me AWAKE at night...
> 
> OMG THERE'S A RUSSIAN TRANSLATION? I can't believe someone translated my work! Please read if you know some Russian! https://ficbook.net/readfic/8539613
> 
> [Tumblr](https://thinlinez.tumblr.com/)

**HARRY**

It was 3 in the morning when Harry felt the dip of the mattress and tiny hands slipping around his waist. Hot and clammy against his cool skin. He could smell other people on Louis and it stank. Louis reeked of tequila, cigarette and alpha. Always the smell of some other alpha. Harry shifted testily.

"Did I wake you Haz?" The boy plastered behind his back grumbled sleepily. Tiny hands snaking under his shirt, lightly scratching his skin.

"You have to stop crawling into my bed when you smell like some other alpha." Harry had meant to say "no, go back to sleep" but he couldn't stop his tongue. The spike of jealousy is always there. But somehow, tonight, it felt stronger than ever. His retort was met with radio silence. Harry was beginning to think that Louis had indeed fallen asleep before the softest "'M sorry" broke through the night. 3 am and Louis was still the same. Harry stilled and he could feel the wetness on the back of his neck as Louis sighed into his skin. He didn't miss the smallest sob and the slight shake coming from the body behind him.

"Don't hate me, Harry. I don't want you to hate me."

Harry stayed silent, hardly breathing, counting his heartbeat so he wouldn't lash out. He was calm. He wasn't mad. Not at all. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. He remained awake long after Louis went limp and his breathing evened out. He slipped his hands into Louis', tangling their fingers together and fell asleep feeling warm yet so alone.

In the morning, Harry rushed off to lab class, like always, like it was clockwork, an endless routine that last night's exchange didn't happen. They were so good at pretending.

****

Harry didn't realize that he was ever going to be in a band. He was a freshman and way too busy trying to balance working part time and trying not to fail too many classes. What with student loans and all that bullshit. He had met Niall during his late night shift at the supermarket. It was tough, working from 6pm to 12am but the pay was higher so Harry, being the good sport and desperate for money like he was, volunteered to take the shift. He was grateful that he did because he wouldn't have met the Irish ball of energy close to 11am on a typical Tuesday night.

"Cash or credit?" He had asked as the boy with poorly dyed blond hair, the roots already turning brown. He had a guitar slung around his bony shoulder. The boy looked a little confused and maybe a little high as his eyes darted from the bag of pretzels in his hands to Harry's face. Harry raised his eyebrows in an encouraging manner. The clock hung high on the wall in front of the store's entrance announced that it was time for closing and he had a paper due tomorrow.

"Ummmm… Mate… Harry, is it? Um the thing is, Harry, I umm might have possibly most likely left my wallet at home. Which is just 5 minutes from here. Please please please let me go home and grab some money and buy these." The boy squinted at Harry’s name tag while gesturing wildly at the carton of milk, some AA batteries, a lighter, box of Yorkshire tea and that bag of pretzels. "Cuz if I don't, my band mate will nag until morning and we won't get any practice done." He said all this really fast and Harry could barely make sense of anything due to the thickness of his Irish accent. He glanced at the clock. 11:45.

"Fine. Just make it quick alright?" He was too nice for his own good, Harry reasoned. He watched as the boy bolted out the store and started to prepare for closing. He finished counting the money, checking the aisles and locking the windows before he heard the doors of the store ding open. He couldn't help but cast another wary glance towards the clock which read 12:15. Props to himself for trusting a complete stranger to mess up his schedule…

He wandered back to the front of the store, checking for any littering around the store. It was too late for his usual routine mop up today. He was totally unprepared to be hit by the smell of something sickly sweet, like mangos gone too ripe on a hot summer day. The smell invaded his senses and he choked out loud. It felt like he had thrown himself hard against a wall. He felt bruised, violated yet he wouldn't say he completed hated it. It has been years since he has gotten thrown so off by the scent of an omega. He was quite sure that the blond boy earlier was a beta since he didn't reek of any smell at all.

Harry turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks. It was an omega all right. A sinfully beautiful creature drowning in a hoodie two sizes bigger than it should be with a pair of worn out sweatpants that hung low on his hips. His bare feet looked tiny as he bounced from one foot to another on the cold tiled floor. Eyes, stormy blue eyes flicked up to meet Harry's. They both seem to stop breathing in unison. The smell permeating the air shifted into something light and sweet like fresh bread out of the oven and Harry felt like time stood still. They simply looked at each other.

"Oi! Louis! I told you it was a joke mate! I was just pissed at you for not doing your damn dishes. Getting the grocery was Niall's job… Lou, you're not even wearing shoes! You could have cut yourself!" A shrill voice cut through the air, slicing open the eerie silence and made time tick again. Harry blinked out of his trance and saw a burly looking alpha entering the store. The alpha rushed to the omega's side and ushered him towards the exit. The omega was still staring at Harry but the shock in his eyes had morphed into simple curiosity and mischief.

"Stop, Liam. Stop pushing me for Christ's sake. I just really want to drink tea and Niall forgot his bloody wallet so what can I do?" The omega's voice was raspy, high and it was like music to Harry's ears. Harry tried to calm himself down and steadied himself against the cool register.

"How much for all this again?" _Louis_ asked. Honestly Harry could listen to his voice all day. "Twenty… twenty pounds and fifty five." His voice sounded an octave deeper than usual and he cleared his throat in embarrassment. God, he sounded so aroused. He could see a smirk playing at the corner of Louis' mouth. The alpha beside Louis gave Harry some money while apologizing profusely. Harry wasn't listening to a single word as he busied himself with packing all the stuff and trying very hard to ignore the smell of his and Louis' mingled pheromones.

"Thank you." He muttered as he handed the bag of groceries purposefully to the alpha, Liam. He didn't want to have to touch the omega because he was sure that the mere brush of their fingers might send him into overdrive. Liam smiled at him politely, nodding a thank you and with a protective arm around Louis' shoulders, steered the omega out of the store. Harry watched as Louis turned and looked at him one last time before the automatic doors slid close. His eyes were unreadable but his thin pink lips were tilted upwards into a faint smile.

Harry didn't finish his paper until 5am in the morning. He powered himself through with the help of 3 coffees and the memory of blue eyes.

"Hey mate! Harry, mate! I remembered me wallet and everything! Sorry I didn't come last time, got tied up writing this new song right, it's coming along just splendidly. Didn't wanna get off me bed for days writing that song." The Irish was back and greeted Harry like they were friends who hang out on a daily basis. "Nah, it's ok, your friends came and sorted it out." Harry said as he rang up yet another box of Yorkshire tea. "You go to Uni right? What do you study?" The Irish asked, almost throwing himself over the countertop in excitement. "Oh! I'm Niall! It's nice to meet you Harry, although we've met before but I have proper manners and all that." Niall tacked on, not giving Harry the chance to speak. He found it oddly endearing. None of the friends he hung out with had a personality quite as outgoing as Niall. It was a good change. "I study physics actually. Dunno why I chose it. Didn't have a choice I guess…" Harry said lamely. It was close to closing time again and he was knackered. However Niall seemed like he was on drugs or something, his entire being was shaking with energy. "Are you high?" Harry didn't mean for his thought to slip out. Niall's eyes widened and he cackled in glee. "Aren't we all?! High on life!" Harry rolled his eyes, yes he was quite endeared. Niall glanced around like he was checking the supermarket for lurking cops and leaned in, "You know what Harry, I am high, a few spliffs don't hurt nobody. Gets this going." He tapped his temple wisely and winked. Harry smiled. "Hey, you want some yeah? I feel like you're silently calling out to me mate, you too polite to ask out loud yeah? Got a few more joints down at me flat. Whatcha say?" Harry was really torned. He has lab class tomorrow early in the morning. 8 am was really fucking early. But somehow he found himself following Niall down the dark street and turning into a small alleyway leading to a 5 story building. The apartment looked quite old and almost like it was falling apart.

"Don't mind the outside. Me friend's dad is the landlord and he's kind enough to rent the basement to us to do band practices. Brilliant ain't it!" Niall gestured Harry towards the stairs and Harry noticed the staircase was completely engulfed in darkness. "Wanna hold me hand?" Niall asked as Harry tripped over his own feet a little. Harry scoffed but reached out to steady himself against Niall's bony shoulders. They reached the end of the stairs going down and there was a single black door facing them. Niall pushed it open yelling "Lads, I'm home! I got a stray with me in need of that good shit Zayn got from Calvin yesterday. Good stuff that." The basement was spacious and it was quite bright compared to the darkness of the staircase. Harry blinked and saw a set of drums and electric guitars propped up against the wall. There was a sofa and some bean bags in the corner and _oh_ he should have seen this coming. He was so nervous about following a practical stranger into said stranger's house to smoke some weed that he didn't even notice the smell of mangos in the air. This was about as exciting as Harry's life was going to get he reasoned. _Louis_ was lounging in one of the bean bags, his tiny frame basically swallowed whole by the large bean bag. He had on another hoodie, a green Adidas one this time and he was busy playing on his phone.

"Is it a cat or dog?" Louis asked out loud without looking up, too absorbed in his game. "For the last time Neil you can't make a dog smoke weed you dick. Last time you got me dog Bruce high cuz you force fed him cannabis brownies. He almost tore up me mom's house, pissing and shitting everywhere. I am not gonna clean poop cuz you wanna see if dogs can get high…" His nose twitched and Harry thought _how cute_ before he could stop himself. Louis' head suddenly whipped up and he immediately locked eyes with Harry. "By stray I mean a person, Lewis, not animal. Harry here is quite the gentleman and I'm sure he won't pee and shit everywhere after he gets a load of that good kush." Niall suddenly turned to him and said in a lower voice, "You won't right? You've had had weed before?" "Course…" "Ok, just checking. Good lad." Harry was too busy looking at Louis to notice that there was another man engulfed in the bean bag next to the omega. This guy, seemingly a beta due to his lack of presence, was puffing away on a joint and also looking at him. Except his eyes were glazed over and he looked like he was already miles high away. He had jet black hair and too many tattoos. One of his arms was casually splayed on Louis' thigh, a little too high for Harry's liking. "I'm Harry. I...um… I work in the supermarket down the street." He jerked his thumb towards the door and winced at his lame introduction. Louis narrowed his eyes. He turned to Niall who had thrown himself onto the sofa and was rolling up a joint with his tongue between his lips. "Did you just bring an unmated alpha into our home Neil? What's more. You do realize that I'm an omega and that I could possibly most likely be in danger if he does something? If he assaults me?" Louis said and Harry felt himself turn red. "I'm not dangerous!" He justified himself before Niall could reply. "And why should I trust you?" Louis addressed him for the first time upon his entrance. His hair was disheveled and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. But still. Painfully beautiful under the cheap fluorescent light. "You're not that pretty, Lou." The boy next to Louis said squeezing his thigh and laughing huskily. "I’m Zayn.” The beta said to Harry before turning back to Louis. “Besides you go out almost every other night, _alpha hunting._ THAT alone proves how not every alpha wants a piece of you." Louis jerked himself away from Zayn, standing up and scoffing. "Wow, thanks for that boost of confidence, Z. Have you quite finished?" Louis said sassily, turning around and kicked Zayn out of the bean bag. When he turned Harry's breath caught when he got an eyeful of that arse. He couldn't help himself when he felt his cock twitch a little. He was fucked. "Here ya go Harry me boy." Niall had sidled up to Harry and was offering him a spliff. Harry took it, anything to distract himself from staring like a downright pervert at Louis.

"You do know every alpha wants this arse Zayn… besides," Louis turned to Harry and began marching towards him. Harry took a sharp drag and almost choked as the strong weed hit his lungs. "I can smell that you want me." Louis was crowding into his space and looking up at Harry through his eyelashes. Their size difference could not have been more obvious. Harry wanted to take him right there. In front of the two betas, even. He found himself saying, "You're not that pretty." And he took another drag for lack of something to do. Louis raised his eyebrows but his expression remained passive and a little impressed even. "Oh, you don't think I'm _that_ pretty do you?" He challenged and for a second Harry thought he was going to lean in and kiss him. Instead Louis reached out and slapped him in the groin. He yelped, quite unmanly, and doubled up, wincing. "Right in the dick. That's what I'm talking about." Louis was laughing as he plucked Harry's joint out of his finger and pranced back to his seat. "Stop scaring and assaulting my guest, Lou. Louis is a right menace." Niall said to Harry, as he grabbed his guitar and started to fuck around with it. He gestured for Harry to sit beside him as he plucked a G minor. "You know how to play?" Niall asked him and Harry nodded. "I used to play when I was in high school." "I knew it! I could tell by your hands. Here," Niall immediately thrust a guitar into Harry's hand and shoved a sheet of music under his nose. Harry was too high to argue. They played rather well together even though Harry was quite rusty and almost didn't realize that they were playing Oasis until Louis began to sing. Now this was when the hard part came. Harry was already half hard after Louis had slapped him in the dick and his hard on hadn't gone down at all. Especially not after he heard Louis sing. It was like… all the sounds in this world had suddenly dimmed and gone ugly, colorless. There was only Louis. And his voice. Raspy yet strong. High yet low. It was perfect…

_How many special people change?_

_How many lives are living strange?_

_Where were you while we were getting high_

Harry wished he could look at Louis singing. He really wished he could but if he had, he would have lost control he was sure of it. So he kept his head down and concentrated on playing the guitar.

"Oasis is good warm up." Niall told him after they finished the song and Zayn stood up, walking towards the drums. Niall offered him the bass afterwards and proceeded to tuning his electric one. Harry was confused but still too high to care. Louis was drinking water from a bottle and Harry was staring at the line of his throat. Louis made eye contact and rolled his eyes. Harry felt himself blush and hurriedly joined Niall as they started to rock out to Sum 41's classic Fat Lip. How on earth the neighbors could sleep, Harry wondered wildly as he watched Louis and Niall taking turns screaming the lyrics. It was already almost 3 in the morning… Harry had never felt so alive.

He woke up, as if from a long dream, dazed and confused. His head throbbed. He hadn't gotten that high in _years_ he realized. He groaned as he sat up, a thick white bath towel falling from his shoulders. "Too early...go away…" Harry almost jumped a foot in the air when he looked down and saw another body curled into his. His arm was trapped under Louis as Louis yanked the bath towel that they had apparently been sharing over his head. Harry's blood ran cold. He checked himself. No, they didn't sleep together. He eased his arm out from under Louis as the boy protested and whined. Bleary blue eyes peeked out at him as Harry attempted to tug his jacket from under Louis' head where it had been folded haphazardly into what it seems like a makeshift pillow. "Stop it Haz. It's mine now." Louis said sleepily, batting Harry's hand away. "Go away…"

"Louis… I have class at 8… It's… fuck! It's already 10! I'm so fucked!" Holy fuck… Harry had never been late to class. Period. He couldn't even remembered what happened last night. It seemed like someone had pressed the pause button in his mind and stopped his brain from remembering whatever the hell had happened. He remembered singing Sum 41. And after that… it was a blur of more songs, more singing, _well more like listening and quietly ogling Louis singing,_ more joints, even some beer and more songs. Christ. It was as if Harry was part of a rock band. He gave up attempting to wrestle his jacket from Louis and grabbed his backpack from the floor. He stumbled to the door, stepping over a sleeping Niall on the doormat and gingerly easing open the door. The staircase was still dark as if it was still night time. Harry ran all the way to school and managed to catch Professor Grimshaw exiting the already empty lab. He seemed surprised to see Harry. A little shell shocked even.

"I can explain…" Harry attempted weakly. Mr. Grimshaw didn't even look mad at all, on the contrary, he looked quite amused. "And there I was, thinking that you, Mr. Styles, was a shy little shut in with zero social life… you look like you had a rough night and I am not supposed to be even encouraging this kind of behavior but for once, I'm glad you missed class Mr. Styles. Just come earlier next time to make up for what you had missed." Harry was left speechless and he could only manage a weak "see you next week…" to Mr. Grimshaw's retreating back as the professor continued chuckling. He had missed class and he wasn't even in trouble for it. Somehow… Harry was shaken out of his revelry when the phone in his pocket buzzed. He fished it out and to his horror, almost dropping it when he caught a glance of his reflection in the phone screen. He looked like utter shit. He frowned down at the text on his screen. From an unknown number.

_Sorry if I made u late to class. I won't charge u for the 3 joints u smoked last night. As my apology gift. Zayn said they cost a lot of $$$_

Harry knew who it was. And he tried to come up with a witty reply but could only text a lame _its ok. I can still pay u guys. Weed is very expensive…_

The reply came immediately. _Neil s right._ _U r a gentleman. Haha._ _No its ok, I'm sure Zayn probably nicked it anyways. The weed. Band practice tomorrow 2. Come._

Another ding. _Ur jacket stinks. Its mine. U r the least alpha like alpha fyi._

Harry smiled down at the phone. _Stop bullying me Lewis. Treat ppl with kindness. I'm not in ur band btw. What do u mean practice._

_But u r! U sighed our contract and everything. No backing out now Curly. U owe us. U r in debt. Some heavy weed debt._

_What contract/!?_

_Come 2morrow or we will see u in court. 2pm the flat. Also u slept with me last night. We slept together. I better c u there._

Since it was Saturday tomorrow and Harry had no shifts, he found himself knocking on the door leading to the basement flat. What the hell was he doing… He counted 3 untouched assignments sitting on his desk at home. He shouldn't even be here. The door was flung open and Louis was standing there in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts. His tattoos were all on display and Harry felt like his mouth had turned into the Sahara Desert. He attempted in vain to swallow. "You bedded me Styles and you better take responsibility!" Louis was already onto him. Jabbing a finger in his chest. Harry caught him around the wrist, attempting to save himself from the bruising jabs. "He really what!? I thought Niall said he was harmless?? I thought he looked quite alright that night at the store. Quite polite and all. You sure it wasn't another alpha...Lou?" Harry smelled the panic in the air as the other alpha, ah, Liam was it, launched himself at them. Liam yanked Louis behind him as he snarled at Harry. "I did not sleep with him! I swear! Ask Niall! I come in peace." Harry shouted at Liam, sensing the protective hormones oozing from the alpha. "We just… just cuddled!? I swear…" Harry said weakly. Niall, who had just entered the room was laughing uncontrollably. "'S true Liam. Don't listen to Lou. Harry here is our bass. He even begged to join the band last night! Didn't ya Harry… ya said it made you feel alive or sommit." "I'm sorry Niall… I don't remember much about what happened last night. I was too…" "You were too high. Told you guys I finally got some strong shit." Zayn had also appeared and had casually slung an arm around Harry like they were best mates. He winked lazily at Harry. "He didn't remember what happened last night, Liam. You heard him. He bedded me and now he's gone and conveniently forgot about it all. All the _amazing sex we had._ " Louis was still protesting but he was fighting a losing battle. Liam completely ignored Louis and extended his hand to Harry. They shook. "I'm Liam. Louis is my childhood friend. He is very _very_ difficult to get along with. Please don't mind him. If they made you sign anything, it doesn't mean shit. Don't take anything to heart. They have been using this tactic of getting people high and trick them into joining the band since freshman year." Liam ignored Louis' faint "I would rather you fuck off Liam." Harry smiled good naturedly. "No worries. I just don't have time to be in a band at the moment. I've got a job and also like school is a bitch so…"

"What year are you in?" Zayn asked to his left. "I'm a freshman." The four other boys looked at each other and began to laugh in unison. "Well, young Harold, you still have plenty of time. It's too early to say stuff like _school is a bitch_ when you're only a freshmen." Louis imitated his low voice. His eyes crinkled around the corners when he smiled a little too hard. Harry tried not to stare. Tried and failed. "We are corrupting him lads." Zayn said easily, pinching Harry's cheek. "Harry, for real though mate, you did tell us how you really wanna be in a band ever since you learned how to play the guitar. It wasn't all the weed talking was it?" Niall asked. "If you really don't feel comfortable then it's okay if you leave. Although we do really need a bass. A guy who actually knows what he is doing." Harry looked at Niall and then back down at his feet. "A guy who actually knows how to play. " A raspy voice corrected and Louis was stepping out from behind Liam. His arms crossed. Harry looked away. "Um… I think I really need to clear my head right now. Is it ok if… if I leave and think about it? Please." He said, not daring to make eye contact with anyone. "Fine. Just know that if you step out that door, you can never come back." Louis said in a deadpan tone and Harry winced. "Stop scaring him, Lou. Of course, Harry. We will never force you into anything. Take your time and consider." Liam said and opened the door for Harry. Harry nodded and left, using all his power to stop himself from looking back.

**LOUIS**

Louis had never thought he would ever, _ever_ , be thrown off by an alpha. You see, Louis wasn't like any omega. He was an omega who cared about his rights, an omega whose life goal isn't to become mated and trapped with babies in his arms. He didn't need any alpha. He might need them from time to time to get rid of his sexual tension and he had never gone through a heat _alone_. He always thought alphas were tools. A way for him to get rid of his desires. He was _using_ them and he was quite proud of not getting attached to anyone. He went to clubs on the regular, get fucked on the regular. Somehow it made him felt in control, not growing any kind of attraction or desire to be mated. He was free, young and he even became the lead vocals in a band. Well, almost a band. The four of them watched as the door swung shut behind Harry. Liam turned to him first, "Well there goes another one." Louis turned his nose up and sighed dramatically. "Honestly Liam we all saw that coming didn't we? A goodie two shoe like that will never wanna dabble in a rock band… You're not even part of the band, Li. You are too nosy for your own good." "I thought you said I could be the band manager…" Liam was pouting. "You are our manager, Li. BUT, we are not getting anywhere if we don't even have a bassist… If Lou hadn't gone and fucked Greg, he wouldn't have left…" "Oh yeah right Neil. It's all my fault. He told other people at his uni that he was dating me and even took me out to dinner twice… When he knew goddamn well I was only in for the sex… I had to get rid of him… he even used the word _boyfriend_ … Greg just didn't know how to take a hint…" Louis was actually fuming. He had to deal with a week of harassment and pitiful phone calls from Greg before he finally blocked his number. He didn't need a clingy nutcase like that in his life. "You cost us a bassist. You should be the one to convince Harry to join. You know damn well that kid could play. What's more, he's only a freshman!" Louis rarely saw Niall getting angry but the kid was well on his way there. Louis felt a twinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah Lou… take responsibility for once. Man up…" Zayn lit a cigarette looking from him to Niall. Louis sighed. "Fine. I will _try_." "Just don't _try_ to fuck him." Zayn was grinning now and Louis rolled his eyes. They launched into band practice which almost made Louis forget his mission of trying to get a certain alpha with forest green eyes into joining their band. _Almost._

Louis always like to think he has got a plan. A plan that will most definitely succeed. One that is foolproof. Even though he had dropped out when he was a sophomore, he still like to think that dropping out was part of his plan. Part of his plan to world domination. It was a poor excuse. Studying to become a drama teacher had somehow lost its meaning after Louis had discovered music. He had spent the majority of his time writing. Lyrics that were heartfelt and came from experience. Lyrics that had meaning instead of the textbook he was supposed to be studying. He had lied to his parents and only a small group of people actually knew that he had dropped out and was working at a gas station in order to pay for his bills. There he had met Zayn which led him to Niall which led him to a band and the possibility of actually making a name for himself had grown and devoured him. He was going to be famous, he reckons. However, the band always manage to lose its bassist. Either they don't want to play Louis' songs or they get too attached like Greg and Louis had to pull the "erase the guy from his life" card. Sometimes he wondered why Niall and Zayn stuck around at all. Zayn was also a dropout but he was also an artist who sold his paintings online and even got a small following. Louis was jealous but also proud of him. Working at the gas station was a bitch… but it paid well if Louis had the late night shift. That was why their band practices were always in the a.m. instead of regular hours. Thank god the apartment building was only occupied by Niall's close friends who didn't really mind all the noise. Half the time he doesn't even see signs of people actually living here. He and Zayn lived on the first floor while Niall and Liam resided in the third. The second floor was empty and the fourth and fifth were both rented out to Niall's mates. Louis only knew Josh who lived on the fourth because he also comes over to play guitar sometimes. It almost felt like they owned the entire building. Rent was cheap and Louis was so grateful to be able to live with his friends and also have a place for band practice. He was also sure that Niall was secretly the son of a billionaire because Niall always seemed to have money and had covered Louis' rent more than once.

Back to the present, Louis was hiding behind a shelf of taco shells and ranch dressing. He had been working on what to say for the last twenty minutes. It was rush hour around 7pm when the supermarket was the most crowded. He didn't have a shift at the gas station today so he might as well try to convince Harry to join the band. Harry seemed not the least frazzled as he smiled and made small talk with all the customers. Louis had made sure to slip in unnoticed and was now regretting it. He should just march up to Harry. He didn't know why he tend to get nervous around the lad. It wasn't because Harry was an alpha… it was because for some unknown reason, Louis wanted to be liked by Harry. He grabbed a bunch of bananas just for the hell of it and seeing that there was finally no line at the register, tried to look as casual as possible as he approached Harry. The alpha's hair was long and it was almost past his broad shoulders. Even though he was in the store's uniform somehow he made it work. Yes, he was definitely too good looking to be working in a supermarket. Louis scrunched his nose in annoyance, willing his inner omega to calm the fuck down.

"Hey… you guys are quite busy today." Louis started, watching as Harry jumped a little and his doe like green eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Louis. "Hi.... umm… yeah since today is Friday…" "I don't think that's the reason Harold. People don't tend to spend their Friday nights at the local supermarket." Louis said offering Harry a smile. He sure did talk slow. "People like to get their shopping done before the weekend I think…" "That sounds grossly domestic. Shopping on Friday night…" Louis said wrinkling his nose. "Yet you're here." Harry said cheekily and Louis rolled his eyes. "Yes I'm here but I'm not shopping with anyone or for the fun of it. I just…" He glanced down at his purchase, the single bunch of bananas and immediately regretted his choice. "I'm trying to be healthy?" He offered. Not that Louis would ever eat a banana unless Liam forced him to. He didn't give two shit about his health. Harry on the other hand looked like the type who drinks kale smoothies and go for goddamn jogs in the morning. "That's good. But I don't think eating fruit will be as helpful as getting a good night's sleep." Harry smiled softly and Louis became painfully aware that he had indeed stayed up all night yesterday. "Okay. _Mom._ Just know that I stayed up cuz I was practicing and don't come crawling back to me if I win the Battle of the Bands and make it rain." Harry raised his eyebrows and tapped his fingers patiently against the register. Louis noticed that he had rings on his fingers and he had always thought guys who wear rings were stuck up hipsters but somehow Harry didn't make him think that way. His fingers were long and calloused from work. They looked rather nice. "Have you thought about it at all?" Louis blurted, noticing that a small line had formed behind him. "I have… but I still don't know…" Harry's smile was a little forced and Louis felt a little guilty. "Are you free later? Maybe we can go for a pint?" Louis offered. Harry also smelled really good. Something dewey like early mornings. "Maybe another time…" Louis was surprised, he had never been rejected so quickly. Okay, so this was going to be a challenge… Omega asking an alpha out might still be frowned upon but Louis was quite used to doing it. However, this alpha in particular was rejecting him without a second thought. "So tomorrow then." Louis said decisively and before Harry could protest, he fixed Harry with one of his best stares and repeated. "See you tomorrow then Harry." And he walked out. Not even bothering to take the bananas he had bought.

**HARRY**

Harry finally managed to get all his school work done. He felt stressed and the thought of having to deal with Louis every day was adding more to his plate. Louis had been showing up every night at the supermarket. Sometimes looking extra cute in oversized clothes, sometimes in tight gas station overalls. Harry's poor heart protested and he wanted to touch. But he had to keep himself in check. It has been a week since he had walked out of Niall's basement. It was torture. He wanted to go back and hear Louis sing yet he just couldn't bring himself to say yes to being part of the band. Why was he holding back? He didn't know. "Did you know that drinking tea can prolong one's life? Studies show that if you drink tea every day you get to live longer." Louis had stopped pretending to buy things. He had taken it upon himself to plop down on the swivel barstool behind the counter. He was in his work uniform with his hair styled into a quiff. He smelled like mangos and gasoline. "You just made that up." Harry said. Louis smirked. He pulled out a small notebook from his overall pocket and waved it in front of Harry. It was close to closing time and Harry needed to start cleaning. Someone had spilled a carton of orange juice in Aisle 6 just now and he wasn't in the best of moods. "I will let you have a peek at the lyrics to my new song if you come to band practice tonight." And that caught Harry's interest. He had heard from Niall that Louis wrote almost half the songs their band played and Harry was too high that night to remember exactly what kind of songs Louis actually wrote. "Okay. Deal. But just know that me going to band practice doesn't mean I'm part of the band. I'll help out though." Louis' smile could probably cure cancer, it was so bright. "Deal."

Niall and Zayn didn't look at least surprised to see Harry. He and Niall fucked around and it felt relaxing to just play for fun. He was familiarizing himself with the bass guitar when Louis crashed onto the couch beside him and jammed his notebook under Harry’s nose. Louis’ handwriting was messy, scribbly and there were tiny doodles that Harry couldn’t quite make out in the margins of each page.

“What do you think of this one?” Louis said enthusiastically. He jabbed impatiently at one page and Harry read the lyrics while Louis signaled to Niall and the Irish began strumming.

_Better than words_

_Drive me crazy_

_Someone like you_

_Always be my baby_

Louis sang in Harry’s ear as his finger danced across the page. Being this close to Louis reminded Harry that Louis was an omega because the lad acted so much _not_ like an omega that Harry tend to forget. He couldn’t help but take in a deep breath. Inhaling Louis’ scent. “Actually me and Payno wrote this one.” “Liam also writes?” Harry asked, pleasantly surprised. “Yeah other than being a nagging dad that’s what he is good at.” Louis explained. “Well consider me impressed…” Harry muttered, a twinge of jealousy suddenly hit him when he thought about Liam and Louis cuddled up together writing songs about… well… _sex_. “Are you scenting me?” Harry didn’t realize that he was leaning close to Louis and was sniffing the omega. He jerked back, blushing. Louis had changed from his work clothes into a sheer black tank top today and his hair was in a soft fringe. It was October and getting a little colder day by day. Harry wanted to tell Louis to dress warm but then realized that the heat was turned on so high that it felt almost like summer. He began to sweat a little.

“We’re going out tonight by the way.” Niall said, as if trying to save Harry from further embarrassing himself. “Zayn just texted. Said we going down to stake out _The Rogue_ , that new bar in downtown… You remember Tom? The guy who used to own that tattoo shop across town? Well, he sold it and now he’s got himself a pub. He’s looking for bands to play gigs this weekend.” Niall was already exiting the room. “Gonna go change upstairs. You coming Harry? Or are you gonna wear that?” He pointed at Harry’s yellow polo shirt, the supermarket logo on the left chest already a little smudged with dirt. Harry flushed again and nodded. “I think Liam’s got some clothes that you can borrow. If you don’t mind his alpha smell though.” Niall said laughing. They left Louis who had buried his nose in his notebook. Niall led him up the stairs and to the third floor. It looked exact like the basement except there were more rooms, a kitchen and a huge window that overlooked the dingy alleyway. Niall began rummaging through a closet and thrust a pair of light blue jeans, a white tank top and a red and black plaid shirt into Harry’s hands. “Liam has tons of plaids. He won’t mind that much if we borrow one.” Harry nodded and changed into the outfit. He was surprised that the jeans fit pretty well. Niall had changed into a fresh Nirvana shirt and was looking approvingly at Harry. They headed back downstairs and Louis was already waiting out front in a car that seemed like it was seconds away from breaking down. He honked impatiently. It was already almost close to 1 am and the echo of the car honk could be heard vibrating against the walls of the alleyway. Niall giggled enthusiastically. “Shotgun!” He yelled and Harry shrugged, slipping into the backseat. There were empty bottles and cigarette butts strewn across the floor. The car didn’t smell that bad since Louis’ sweet scent seemed to be the only thing that Harry could concentrate on. Louis lurched out of the alleyway and into the street. Niall fiddled with his phone and put on some Simple Plan. “Fuck! This is a jam! I was so fucking emo in high school!” Louis yelled over Niall’s loud music and Harry wondered briefly if they could make it to downtown without being pulled over. They got to the bar safely and the neon sign shone electric blue above them. Niall and Harry got out and left Louis to find a parking spot. “Let’s go party!!!” Niall grinned and Harry nodded, suddenly recalling his exchange between Mr. Grimshaw earlier that week. His life had changed so drastically. Usually at this time of the night, he should be revising an essay or working on lab work… He followed Niall into the pub and instantly the smell of omega, alpha and betas filled his nostrils. It was crowded and almost jammed packed. “Apparently, it’s free beer night. Since this place is new and all that. Feels like the whole town is here!” Niall explained and Harry felt a little uncomfortable when he noticed that some people were checking him out. He felt a little lightheaded due to the overpowering smells of bodies dancing and sweat. “HEY! LIAMMM!” He heard Niall yelling over the heads of the crowd and saw Liam pushing his way towards them. He looked good in a simple grey shirt and black jeans. He grinned at them and even pulled Harry into a brief hug. “I have the exact same shirt!” Liam yelled into his ear. He steadied himself against Harry and it was pretty clear that Liam was already half drunk or on his way there. “Zayn is in the back. Talking to Tom. We should go say hi! Where’s Lou?” Liam’s eyebrows knotted into concern and he peered behind Harry into the crowd. Harry also looked around. It was as if there was an invisible pull that made him able to instantly pick out Louis amongst the crowd. Louis was wrapped up in a stranger’s arms, looking seductively up at a guy who Harry was sure was an alpha. They were dancing and grinding against each other. “Well that was quicker than last time.” Niall mused beside him, shoving a cool beer into Harry’s hand. Harry almost dropped the slippery glass as he found himself already walking across the room towards Louis. “Hey.” He almost snarled and before he could stop himself he was shoving the bloke grinding against Louis in the chest. “Harry.” Louis was looking up at him and his expression was unreadable as he continued to move against the guy plastered behind his back. “We’re busy.”

For the first time in his life, Harry felt like punching someone. “Liam said we gotta go around back. Zayn is talking to the owner.” Harry said through gritted teeth, not taking his eyes off Louis. “ _We_? I don’t remember you being part of the band Harry. Don’t get too full of yourself.” Louis said as he tilted his head to let the alpha behind him bury his face in the omega’s neck. Harry grabbed the guy’s collar and yanked the alpha’s head back. “I am part of the band. As much as you are.” He found himself saying and in an instant, Louis was by his side and pulling him towards the back of the pub. Harry blinked in confusion. “Hey! You didn’t give me your number!” He could hear the alpha that Louis had abandoned shouting over the din. Louis simply gave him the finger and continued to drag Harry along. “What the hell just happened?” Harry yelled and Louis’ face broke into a cunning grin as he glanced back at Harry. “I swear you are Bambi in person.” As Harry tripped over other people’s feet and got a few swears directed at him in return. “But you sure did alpha up back there. I was really impressed you even had it in you.” The beer in Harry’s hand had long gone warm and he had spilled some on Liam’s plaid shirt. He almost sent Louis flying as they stopped abruptly in front of a door next to the bathroom. Louis pushed it open and pulled Harry roughly inside.

**LOUIS**

He had made sure his phone was recording when he had spotted Harry barreling his way across the room. He had chosen the first alpha he saw as soon as he entered and it didn’t take long to charm the bloke onto the dance floor. Harry was almost a different person as he confronted the alpha Louis was dancing with. Louis was really surprised and if it had been any other alpha Louis would have told them to kindly fuck off if they had acted this _possessively_ over Louis. Somehow seeing Harry like this didn’t piss Louis off all that much. He felt… strangely pleased. “I am part of the band. As much as you are.” Louis’ eyes had widened at the words and his heart skipped a beat. His plan had worked. If Harry tries to deny saying that, Louis had the recording. Even though he had triggered Harry into saying the words, he was sure that the alpha had meant some part of it.

Right now, in the small room that served as an office for Tom, _the Rogue_ ’s owner, he could smell Harry on him and their pheromones mingling in the air. He didn’t hate it at all. “Welcome to the band.” He said simply, plucking the beer hanging loosely at Harry’s side from him and downing it. It tasted lukewarm and Louis winced. Harry looked like he was going to protest but Niall was already clapping the alpha on the back and Zayn was smiling too. “You tricked me…” Harry whispered harshly into Louis’ ear. “Did I now? Don’t act like you didn’t want it.” He mused and watched as Harry’s sharp jaw ticked. He really enjoyed riling this particular alpha up, he decided. He was also a little pissed that Niall had dressed Harry like that. Exactly the way Louis liked his alphas. He scoffed and proceeded to poke Niall in the ribs. Niall wiggled his eyebrows at him. “So…” The guy sitting on the table across the room had stood up. Tom attempted in vain to hide the spliff behind his back as he crossed the room. “Louis! It has been too long. I see that deer tattoo looking good.” Louis smiled and shook the alpha’s extended hand. “Your work is always looking good.” He turned to Zayn. “Did you just get us a gig with a joint?” Zayn grinned and shrugged lazily. Tom laughed and shook his head. “No, no, no. You guys have potential. I just listened to some songs Zayn was playing for me. I trust that my pub is in good hands.” “Let’s just pretend I didn’t see that.” Louis said waving vaguely at the weed Tom was holding behind his back. “This is Harry by the way.” Louis announced to the room at large as he felt Harry stiffen beside him. “He’s on bass and he’s new.” Tom reached out and shook Harry’s hand. “What happened to the last bloke? That brown hair guy? Thought he was with you.” Louis rolled his eyes and pursed his lips together. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He warned Tom and the alpha seemed to feel Louis’ shifting mood and held up his hand. “Just checking.”

Zayn cleared his throat and everyone turned to face him. Louis was still somewhat aware of Harry almost pressed against his back. The heat coming from the alpha felt nice and Louis leaned into Harry. Harry lets him. “The gig will allow us to play five songs since Tom said there will be other bands. That doesn’t include the encore so we have to make it count, lads.” Zayn explained. “ _Better than Words_ is more than ready.” Louis said from his corner. Harry’s hand grazed Louis’ hips, barely a touch. “Neil has already got the melody doubled down. All we need to do is make sure Harry learns the song. This could be our big break.” “You say that before every gig Lewis. _This could be our big break._ ” Niall said and Louis reached out and pinched Niall’s cheek in annoyance. “You gotta trust the Tommo. Believe in the process. Besides we finally got ourselves a decent bassist.” He looked back and up at Harry who had his eyes fixed on Louis’ neck and was too slow to avert his gaze. Louis hid a smile. “So our set list would include a new song, Tom.” He said decisively to other alpha in the room. The digital clock behind Tom’s head announced that it was already close to 3 am. The noise outside the room had died down considerably. Louis’ phone vibrated. He knocked Harry’s hand out of the way as he reached down behind into his jean pocket. Liam’s name flashed across the screen. “Well, dad is calling. It’s way past curfew.” He hit the reject call button and pocketed his phone. “Who’s driving?” Zayn asked the room at large. “Haz is.” Louis found himself saying and he grinned up Harry.

“Oiii… come help me with Liam, Tommo. He’s dead weight!” They had found Liam passed out at the bar and had struggled with carrying him to the car. Louis pretended to help as he watched Harry and Niall lugged Liam up the apartment stairs. “Looking good, lads.” They dumped Liam unceremoniously onto the bed and left the boy snoring away. Niall retreated into his own room, too tired to talk. Louis gestured for Harry to follow him as they went down the stairs. Louis stopped at the first floor in front of his and Zayn’s opened door. He could see Zayn lighting up a cigarette in the living room. “Hey thanks for helping with Liam. You won’t really believe it but it happens quite often.” Louis didn’t know why he felt like he needed to say something. He really didn’t want to see the curly boy leave just yet. Harry scrubbed his hand over his face. “No problem… I guess I will see you guys later. Text me if there is band practice…” Harry turned to leave, but Louis reached out and grabbed the hem of Harry’s shirt. They stood there for what it seems like an eternity just looking at each other. “You can sleep here tonight if you want.” Louis said into the silence. “I don’t know where you live but… you know it’s almost morning anyways. You can just crash here…” He reasoned and watched as Harry’s lips tightened, but then the alpha’s shoulders seemed to slump in defeat. “Okay then.” Louis couldn’t believe his ears. Harry wasn’t pushing him away.

“You like him don’t you?” Zayn was fishing around in the fridge after Louis had settled Harry in on the couch. Harry had refused point blank to sleep in Louis’ bed. “I do not.” Louis said, grabbing the milk out of Zayn’s hand and taking a swig. “Sure you don’t.” “He’s just… he’s nice… and he doesn’t act like an alpha at all. I like it that he doesn’t act like he’s all high and mighty.” “So you like him.” “ _I don’t_. I like that _part_ about him. Doesn’t mean I _like_ him, Z. What are you, five years old?” “Whatever you say, Lou.” Louis huffed and turned his back on Zayn. But before he could exit the kitchen, Zayn grabbed his elbow. “Don’t… don’t sleep with him, Lou. Don’t ruin it. We have got it good this time.” Zayn was looking at him, almost pleadingly. Louis knew Zayn wanted it as bad as he did. They were already on the brink of running out of record companies to send their tapes to. Louis blinked and nodded. “I promise I won’t, Z. I want it as bad as you, you know that.” “Okay Lou.” He let Zayn pull him into a hug and closed his eyes as Zayn kissed his forehead lightly. “Goodnight, Lou.” “Love you, Z.” He found himself walking pass his bedroom door and into the living room. Soft snores from the couch made his inner omega ache. He glanced back at Zayn’s closed door. It wouldn’t hurt to get a goodnight’s sleep. It was purely platonic, he reasoned as he peered over the couch’s edge and watched Harry’s sleeping form. The couch was large enough to fit both of them and Louis carefully climbed into the space between the couch’s back and Harry. His front and Harry’s back were barely touching. The warmth emanating from the alpha and the smell of dewy grass filled him, lulling him into sleep. He hadn’t fallen asleep so fast in months.


	2. Chapter Two

**HARRY**

He had been showing up to band practice on time. He had even brought Niall’s bass guitar back to his dorm to practice even though it meant he had to wait for his roommate, Jeff, to not be in the room. It wasn’t hard since Jeff always seemed to be partying somewhere and always came home at an ungodly hour. Harry had no right to complain though. He was also becoming quite like Jeff. What with his late night shift, the band practices afterwards and waking up somewhere in the apartment, always with Louis sleeping next to him. He rarely came back to his dorm nowadays. It felt almost like his routine had flipped upside down. He found himself drinking more coffee and red bulls than he was supposed to. It was killing him, he knew but the gig was coming this weekend and he couldn’t mess it up. Not when the other three boys were placing their bets on him.

“Why don’t you just move in?” Niall asked when Harry told him about his struggles later that day. They were having lunch on campus, at the Mexican place that just opened up in the crowded student cafeteria. Harry choked on a piece of lettuce. Niall thudded his back, cooing and Harry had to take an extra swig from his water bottle. “What do you mean move in?” He asked incredulously after he had finally stopped coughing. “I mean, aren’t you always sleeping at Louis’ anyways? It’s not exactly a secret, mate. I’ve had to wake you guys up just this morning cuz you told me that you had lab class at 8.” “Right… well, I don’t think that’s a good idea at all Niall. I’m… Louis wouldn’t…” “Ohhh! I don’t mean you moving in _with_ Louis, mate, no _fucking_ way…” Niall was doubled over in laughter. Harry frowned and waited patiently for Niall to straighten up. “I mean, since no one lives on the second floor, you can just move in. My friend’s dad is the landlord and well, since he lives back home in Ireland, he made me a stand-in landlord for the apartment. Just give me the rent every month and we’re all sorted.” Harry turned Niall’s words over in his head. It was a brilliant idea since the apartment was just a street away from his workplace and not so far from uni. He didn’t have to make his way back to the dorm which was located on the other side of campus. Yes, this could work… “How much is the rent?” Harry asked although he knew that it was going to be cheap. Niall cackled. “Let’s just say it’s cheaper than that posh dorm you’re holed up in.” They shook on it.

“You’re seriously moving in, huh.” Harry almost dropped the box he was carrying in shock when he saw Louis leaning against the doorway to his new bedroom. The layout was exactly the same on every floor and Harry had grown quite used to it. “Fuck, Lou. You scared the shit out of me…” He placed the box of heavy textbooks on the floor next to Louis’ feet. He had also grown used to seeing Louis barefoot everywhere even though the omega was constantly complaining about how cold he was. “You’re such a crybaby.” Louis mused and made no attempt to help Harry as he moved another box from the hallway into his room. “Band practice is in ten.” He informed Harry, flopping onto Harry’s mattress as soon as he lugged it onto the bedframe. “Are we rehearsing _Better than Words_?” Harry asked, toeing Louis out of the way as he reached across the omega to crack open the window by the bed. He could feel the warm puffs of air as Louis exhaled underneath him and he was startled to find that if he looked down, they would be face to face. He scrambled up hastily, losing his balance and landed on top of Louis. The omega let out an audible _oof,_ his face pressed into Harry’s shoulder. Small hands found his chest and Louis was thrashing a little in vain, being trapped by Harry’s weight. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do… that.” Harry cried and scrambled aside. Louis huffed out a breath, his hands were still on Harry’s chest as the omega pushed himself off the bed. “Is this your subtle way of trying to murder me, Styles?” Louis said in a winded voice. “I’m not trying to murder you, Lou. I wouldn’t know where to bury the body.” Harry protested as they stared at one another. Simultaneously, they burst into laughter. “Good thing I already know you are actually a living proof of Bambi. I will let you off the hook this time. But please, show me some respect. I don’t wanna die by being crushed alive…” Louis got to his feet and jerked his head towards the door. “We must attend to band practice now Harold.” Harry also got up, awkwardly scratching his head at the sudden nickname. “’M not Harold…” He said weakly but Louis had already pranced out of the room.

It didn’t take Harry a lot of time to actually memorize _Better than Words_. However, Louis did rewrite the lyrics a little bit since he kept saying that there should be more passion in it. Liam had come over and helped out a little. He suggested that _both_ Niall and Harry sing some backup vocals to spice things up. “Harry your voice is deep and really perfect for the song. You just have to sing WooooOoooohhh WooohhhHO…” Harry felt himself blushing as he sang along with Liam and tried to ignore Louis’ obvious smirk. “We have been practicing for four hours straight… I think I’m turning into a zombie.” Zayn nodded in agreement at Niall’s comment. “Let’s just go to sleep… we can run it through again in the morning.” “The gig is fucking tomorrow, Z.” Louis said turning on the beta. “But I’m half dead Louis… We were working all day at the station today… I need some sleep Lou…” Harry reached out to grab Louis and said, “Hey, I think we all deserve some sleep.” Louis narrowed his eyes and shrugged off Harry’s hand on his shoulder. “Fine.”

Harry had almost drifted into sleep when he felt the bed shift. He should have kept a baseball bat underneath his pillow, he thought wildly. God knows who comes in and out of this apartment. He whipped around, ready to punch the stranger when he inhaled a wave of mangos. “It’s only me.” Louis’ eyes were luminous in the moonlight that was trickling in from the window above Harry’s head. Harry felt himself relax and he turned to face Louis who was perching awkwardly, much like a tiny bird, on top of Harry’s covers. “Can I sleep here tonight?” Louis blurted. Harry hesitated for a moment, sighing then pulled back the covers. “Goddamn it, Lou. Your feet are freezing.” Harry said as Louis tucked himself into Harry, tangling his feet with Harry’s. “I don’t like to wear shoes.” Louis whispered and flicked Harry’s forehead. Harry caught the omega’s wrist before he could flick again. He held onto Louis’ hand just in case. “Why do you always end up with me when you can easily just go upstairs to Liam?” Harry had been wondering about this since the day he and Louis had begun this routine of falling asleep near each other. “He talks in his sleep sometimes and he _snores._ ” Harry nodded, he watched as Louis burrowed deeper into the covers until only the top of his caramel hair was visible. He almost missed the soft “And you smell good.” He smiled and with his hand holding lightly onto Louis’ wrist, his fingers against the omega’s pulse, fell asleep almost instantly.

**LOUIS**

Louis didn’t know why he felt like he could only sleep with Harry’s smell invading his senses. He didn’t know when it became a _thing_. Harry’s head lulled to the side as Louis peeked out at him from under the cover. The alpha was dead asleep. Truth be told, Louis had never slept with any other alpha besides Liam all the way until morning. He enjoyed getting fucked and then telling his one night stands to fuck off with contempt if anyone dared to initiate the desire to stay the night. Louis downright refused to get attached. He didn’t want to get used to any smell, an alpha’s smell. However, now, he was fucked. He couldn’t fall asleep if he wasn’t taking deep breaths of Harry’s smell of morning dew. Louis reached out and traced his finger along the stray curl that was tickling his face.

In a blink of an eye, it was the night of their gig at _The Rogue._ At first, something went wrong with Niall’s guitar and they had to run a few more test trials which got the crowd a little impatient and part of the crowd that had gathered in front of the tiny stage had begun to disperse. Louis was panicking. He wanted to grab the mic and yell at the crowd to “fucking get back to your seats” and he was only stopped by Harry who seemed to know exactly what he had in mind as he reached for his mic. “Lou, don’t. Patience.” Harry warned, his freakishly large hands tight on Louis’ wrist. Louis mustered his best glare. “Let me go Harold. I am just going to say that the delay is due to technical difficulties.” Harry looked perplexed and didn’t loosen his grip. Louis struggled, feeling his wrist burn and his heart pounded harder than it should be. “ _Don’t._ ” The single syllable rang out, Harry’s alpha voice was _very_ deep and Louis couldn’t suppress his shudder. He stared at Harry with wide eyes and saw the flash of regret in the green orbs. That was all he needed to regain his composure and he yanked his wrist away. “If you use that voice on me again, you will be fucking sorry.” Louis managed, although his threat sounded empty in his ears. Just then, the sound of Niall’s guitar rang through the air. Louis turned his back resolutely on Harry and yelled into the mic, “Sorry folks for the holdup. We’re One Direction and this is our original song, _Better than Words.”_

Needless to say, _Better than Words_ was a hit. Louis sang his heart out and didn’t look at Harry, not once.

“That was a great crowd. The energy level was insane!” Niall yelled over the din, already downing his third shot of tequila. They were celebrating at the bar and Louis felt overwhelmed as random people kept coming up to him to clap him on the back or ask to buy one of their tapes. Zayn had spread out copies of their tapes on the bar counter and there were only a few left. “Hey, you’re the lead singer right? _Temporary Fix_ was a right tune.” Some bloke that was almost a head and a half taller than Louis had managed to slot himself into the space between Louis and Zayn. Louis looked up at him. The guy, clearly an alpha was grinning hungrily down at him. He was wearing a fedora which sat lopsided on his head. He had hair bleached almost white and it curled around his ears. His whole style reminded Louis a little bit of Harry. Harry had also worn this kind of hat before and Louis wouldn’t let him hear the end of it. Okay, maybe he will do. He batted his eyelashes and said coyly, “And why is that? That was one of the songs that I _didn’t_ write and somehow it’s your favorite. Care to explain?” The guy looked positively thrilled that Louis was flirting back. “It’s just… I can relate to the lyrics.” The alpha winked and Louis stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “I’m Aiden. Aiden Grimshaw.” “I don’t need to know your last name, Aiden.” Louis said, downing his beer and grabbing the alpha’s clammy hands, wincing a little at the hot touch. It didn’t feel right at all but Louis really needed to get fucked and take his mind off a certain alpha. “Get me out of here.” He demanded and Aiden didn’t need to be told twice. He let himself through the pub and out into the cool fall air. It was already October and Louis could already see his breath in the air. He didn’t let himself look back, knowing that if he did, he would see Harry watching him.

He had read somewhere or heard from someone that it would feel like heaven if he smoked a cigarette right after sex. Louis didn’t feel the afterglow from the sex as much as before as he stared down at Aiden’s sleeping form. He took a drag of the cigarette he had just lit and grimaced at the foul taste. The truth was that he rarely smoked, he really preferred weed but Zayn always left packs of cigarettes around the flat and this was the only thing he could find. Aiden’s nose twitched as Louis took another drag. Louis prodded him with his toe. Aiden cracked open a bleary eye. “What time is it?” He offered Louis a small smile. “Time for you to go, Aiden.” Louis said, stubbing out the cigarette and getting to his feet. He shivered a little as the night air hit him. He had opened the window to let the smoke out. “Can’t I stay? It’s cold.” Aiden whined and Louis glared at him. “No, you can’t, I’ve got stuff to do.” “What? At 3 am in the morning?” Louis didn’t reply, he grabbed Aiden’s coat which was hanging on the back of Louis’ chair and thrust it at the alpha. Aiden groaned, “Band members are always the same. They can’t wait for you to fuck off.” Louis heard Aiden mused as he shuffled to the door. He waited patiently until Aiden was fully dressed and led him to the door. Aiden stopped at the doorway, his hand resting against the doorknob. “I really like your voice.” He said simply which wasn’t at all what Louis had expected him to say. He had thought Aiden was going to pull a dick alpha move and he would have had to call for Liam… It wasn’t the first time Louis had met a clingy one night stand. But this. Well this was different. “Thank you.” He said still perplexed as Aiden jammed the hideous fedora on his head and the alpha was gone.

Louis found himself walking up the stairs. Found himself in front of Harry’s bedroom. Found himself crawling in beside the oddly still alpha. Harry, who used to jerk in alarm whenever Louis crawled into his bed seemed to have gotten used to the omega’s behavior. Harry merely shifted. “Did I wake you Haz?” Louis asked softly, he wriggled under the covers and slipped his hands around Harry’s waist. He sighed a little, feeling himself soak in Harry’s smell. "You have to stop crawling into my bed when you smell like some other alpha." He wasn’t expected the outburst from Harry and he felt the twinge of guilt turned into waves, repeatedly turning in his guts. He pressed his lips together not trusting himself to reply.

He had almost forgotten that some weeks before he had also brought home any alpha from a house party hosted by one of his coworkers at the gas station. He couldn’t remember the alpha’s name, not that he wanted to or even tried. He felt tears prickled in the corners of his eyes. Why was he crying? Louis fucking Tomlinson doesn’t cry. He could only manage the softest "'M sorry", stifling a sob. "Don't hate me, Harry. I don't want you to hate me." He was so tired of himself these days. He was supposed to be strong, independent and have the whole world at his feet. Yet, he felt so helpless like any pathetic omega. He willed himself to sleep, clutching at Harry’s shirt unaware that his tears were soaking the back of Harry’s shirt.

When he woke up in the morning, Harry had already left for class. They pretended nothing had happened during band practice that night. Hell, Louis thought, it dawned on him that they were so good at pretending.

**HARRY**

Louis had marked his upcoming heat on the calendar hanging on the basement wall. Harry had asked about the circled date before and almost choked on his sip of water when Louis had casually explained what it meant. Now, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. _Obsessively_ even. It was close to Christmas which meant that Niall, Liam and Zayn were all going home for the holidays. Harry’s mom had work that day in order to get the holiday working bonus so Harry didn’t really have any plans. He couldn’t help noticing that the circled date was Christmas Eve which meant that Louis would be having his heat on his birthday. “It sucks doesn’t it?” Louis hadn’t missed Harry’s occasionally glances he had stolen at the calendar. Louis was splayed out on the bean bag, his hair tucked into a beanie. He looked like a child with his clean shaven face. “Having to go through a heat on me own birthday. The best present innit?” He said sarcastically. His notebook was lying open in his lap. Harry continued to strum the bass, trying not to stare. It was just that… Louis looked really good today with his face free of stubble and also smelling a little less like mangos and more like green apples. Harry wondered if it was due to the upcoming heat. Harry cleared his throat and shrugged, “I’m not going home on Christmas.” He said, too late to realize what he seemed to be implying.

Niall’s head jerked up from where it was bent over a piece of loose leaf paper. “What?! You’re not going home Harry?” He asked incredulously. Compared to Niall and Louis, Harry seemed to be the only one who hadn’t contribute to writing a song for the band. Not that he didn’t have any idea, it was just that the ideas he was having and have had weren’t meant for others to hear. They felt really personal. Too personal for Harry’s liking. Too personal, even, to write down on paper. They all evolved around the same person, these ideas. Harry swallowed thickly. “Aww, mate don’t be sad.” Niall must have taken his silence for sadness of not getting to go home on Christmas. The Irish beta reached over and patted Harry sympathetically on the knee. “You can keep Lou company. Although I don’t really think you will have to since he would probably not be home. What with-“ Niall jerked his thumb towards the calendar suggestively. “Neil. I prefer you shut the hell up thank you very much.” Louis said from his bean bag. Zayn came sauntering into the room and plopped himself down on the seat next to Harry. “Lou never spends his heats _alone._ He just goes to a pub, picks an alpha and he’s all sorted. His own exact words not mine.” Zayn said loftily, not so subtly watching Harry for a reaction. Harry tried to school his expression into something passive, something expressionless. But the small ball of fiery jealousy licking away at the bottom of his stomach seemed to ignite.

He cleared his throat again. “Is that right?” He muttered more to himself than Zayn. “Unless he asked you to… help? Did he-“ Before Zayn could finish his sentence, Louis tackled him, knocking Harry’s bass to the side as the tiny omega joined them on the couch. They proceeded to have a tickle off and Harry was forced to put the bass back on the stand for fear of it actually breaking. “I swear you guys are children.” He said to the mess of bodies on the floor. Niall merely cackled in delight, abandoning his song writing and joining the fray.

Later that night, after Louis had made his way under Harry’s covers, did he gather the courage to breech the subject. “So…” He started conversationally, staring at the window feeling Louis’ petting his stomach. As long as he could remember Louis was always the one who spooned him although he was the tiny one of the two. “So…?” The omega repeated and Harry shifted onto his backside, staring resolutely up at the ceiling. Louis had taken it upon himself to draw penises on the ceiling with white and green chalk as a “housewarming” gift before Harry had even moved in. Harry wondered how Louis had managed. Maybe he had used Liam as a makeshift ladder. He could feel Louis watching him. Cerulean blue locked on the side of his face. He flushed a little but turned his head to face the omega.

“You need my help with your heat?” He watched as something like shock flashed in Louis’ blue eyes and it was gone as soon as it had appeared. “Did I say that or did you just assume that, Styles?” Louis said haughtily. “It’s just that… you’re always going on about omega rights and independence and the like that I thought you were spending your heats alone to prove… I dunno… a point? I didn’t know you let random alphas take you home to get fucked.” Harry was painfully aware that he sounded mean and spiteful. He knew he was being selfish and his tone was god forbid _possessive as fuck._ Louis stared at him for a beat longer.

“I’m sorry.” Harry blurted. He really was. “Stop apologizing Harry.” Louis said and he sounded so tired. “For your information, me needing an alpha to get through my heat is solely for the purpose of shortening the heats. It’s hardly about pleasure. I, also, don’t have to prove to anyone anything. I use alphas and they use me. It’s an exchange. Nothing more. I feel good and my heat only lasts about one day and a half if I get fucked. I am still me in the end and I still have my freedom.” “What if they accidentally bit you, Lou? What if you got mated?” Harry was furious. Having strangers knot _his_ Louis, now that was just unacceptable and really dangerous. Louis shrugged, pressing his face into the pillow but his eyes never leaving Harry’s. “Usually the alphas I try to find are alphas that I have had associated with before. It’s not that big of a deal. I can always call Liam if something bad happens.” “You won’t be capable of even using your phone Louis. I know that omegas are so out of it during their heats that they can barely even function, let alone protect themselves. What on earth are you thinking?” Harry said angrily. He had reached out and gripping Louis’ left bicep. “I have been doing this for years Harry. Long before you came along and decide that you are the fucking boss of me. You’re _not_ my alpha Harry. Get over it.”

Louis sat up abruptly, his cold blue eyes flashing. He threw the covers over Harry and got up. Harry was quick to follow, “Wait… you don’t have to leave Lou. Please. Let’s just… I’m sorry alright… I just don’t want you to get hurt. It pains me. It kills me, just thinking about you getting hurt…” The honesty in his words even shocked Harry himself. It hit him. He really didn’t want Louis to get hurt. He wanted to protect. The alpha in him roared with approval. The strong feeling of needing to protect, of needing to hug Louis and make him stay felt nauseating. Louis rounded on him. “You have no right to say what you just said. Who said I was going to get hurt?! I am capable of taking care of myself. _Fuck you_ Harry.” “I _know_ , I just _know_ that something bad will happen. Please Louis. Please let me instead of some fucking stranger be with you. I… I swear I won’t hurt you.” They were both breathing hard.

The sound of footsteps approached the bedroom door and they both snapped their heads towards Liam who was poking his head into the room. “Umm… I am just here to make sure that no one starts throwing furniture.” The other alpha said into the silence. “And also, Louis, your um… there is a friend here to see you.” Harry’s jaw tightened. Louis stormed out of the room without another word, pushing Liam roughly aside. Liam’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he offered Harry a small sad smile.

Harry suddenly felt the rage building in him. He quickly exited the room and ran down the stairs, trying not to trip over his own feet. He arrived at the apartment entrance just in time to see an alpha with bleached white hair following closely behind Louis’ back as they descended the stairs towards a Range Rover. “Louis.” He said, trying to suppress his alpha voice which was on the verge of slipping out. Louis turned and his eyes were ice cold as they regarded Harry coolly. “Don’t do this.” Harry said. “Please.” Time stood still as they watched each other. “Lock the doors, Harry.” Louis said after what it seemed like an eternity. The edge of his mouth was pulled down and Harry wanted to beg. “There are more thieves around here during the holidays.” Louis said simply and nodding towards the white haired alpha, he pulled open the car door and slammed it in Harry’s face. The windows were tinted so Harry didn’t see the tears rolling down Louis’ face as the car pulled away.

**LOUIS**

He had called Aiden as soon as band practice had finished. He had bumped into Aiden, very unfortunately, when he had rushed to Harry’s lab class to give Harry his forgotten textbook days before. He really didn’t like to have any connection, least of all, meet, any of his one night stands. But it was a small town so somehow he shouldn’t really be surprised to see Aiden. The alpha had insisted on buying Louis a cup of tea and had even taken it upon himself to shove a slip of paper with his phone number on it into Louis’ tight fist after they parted. Louis had sighed heavily. Little did he know that he was going to call Aiden that night. He was so angry with Harry and so confused with his own feelings that he just really wanted to forget all about it. He needed sex. So he had called Aiden. It is what it is. At the end of the day, Louis was still an omega with needs. An omega who was living with an alpha that was making him feel things that he shouldn’t feel. Fuck feelings.

He let Aiden fuck him into the expensive looking hammock that was hanging from the ceiling of Aiden’s bedroom. “You feel so good, Louis.” Aiden said, licking his neck. Louis turned his head into the pillow. “Have the ropes- ” Louis waved vaguely at the ropes that was tying the hammock to the ceiling. “ever break before?” He asked Aiden as the alpha above him panted into his neck. “Once. It was really intense.” Aiden grinned down at him and Louis rolled his eyes.

He dreamed about Harry. Harry fucking him instead of Aiden. Harry smiling down at Louis as the ropes snapped and they collapsed into a heap on the floor. Laughing. Harry’s lopsided dimples. Gloriously naked. Louis jolted awake in cold sweat. “What’s wrong?” Aiden shifted closer towards Louis, running a hand soothingly down his back. “Say, Aiden, do you want to spend my heat with me?” Aiden’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry Louis. I have to go back home, to London. If you don’t have anywhere to go, you can come if you want?” Louis felt even worse after hearing this. It was as if Aiden was feeling sorry for Louis. “Forget that I ever asked.” Louis huffed. He flopped back onto the bed and willed himself to sleep. Aiden’s breathing not quite the same rhythm as the one he was used to.

Louis’ black sweater had holes in them. He had on over the sweater, a jean jacket. He wasn’t warm at all. The apartment was eerily silent. He stopped in front of Harry’s flat. Knocked. It smelled like cinnamon, it made Louis think about Christmas. He had almost forgot that it was the Christmas holidays. He had been too busy wallowing in his misery.

Harry answered the door wordlessly. It was December 23rd. Just a day before Louis’ heat. Louis was already feeling it, the desire, the emptiness of his hole. He watched as Harry’s green eyes widened at the sight of him. “Louis.” The confused alpha simply said and the sound of his name on Harry’s tongue never sounded so arousing. “Harry.” Louis breathed. He knew he looked like shit, he hadn’t slept in days. He had been sleeping over at his friend, Stan’s flat these past days. He had rejected the idea of going back to the apartment after his row with Harry. Good thing he could always count on good ole Stan. He and Liam were Louis’ closest childhood friends. Even though they were both alphas, Louis had always felt at home in their presence. They never treated Louis badly and certainly never made Louis feel _things_ unlike the curly haired alpha in front of him.

“I don’t like you.” He found himself saying, jabbing a hand at Harry’s exposed chest. Who doesn’t wear a shirt in the middle of winter? It was freezing and Harry felt like a furnace. Louis jabbed Harry’s butterfly tattoo. “I don’t like what you do to me. You with your stupid eyes, your stupid smell.” Louis felt drunk as he felt his heat hit him in waves. Just _seeing_ Harry and smelling him was making Louis go into heat a day early. “I never asked you to like me.” Harry said raising an eyebrow. He caught Louis’ wrist. Louis _hates_ it when he does that. Harry always seemed so harmless to him, but this small gesture alone reminded Louis just how much of an alpha Harry actually was. Fuck Harry. Louis needed Harry to fuck him. “Fuck me.” Louis said breathlessly. He dragged his eyes away from his wrist and met Harry’s gaze. Strangely, Harry looked calm and collected. “Okay.” And with that, Harry pulled him not too gently into the room.

Harry led him over to the bed that Louis had grown to miss these past couple of days and began to pull Louis’ hoodie over his head. Louis let the alpha undress him silently. He watched as Harry locked the door and slammed the window close. He stood shivering, naked beside the bed. The heat was turned on a little too low for Louis’ liking. He watched as Harry proceeded around the room, leaving trails of his scent everywhere. Louis whined, high pitch and desperate. He was beginning to leak slick. He could feel it oozing out of him and sliding down his thighs. Harry came back to his side in an instant. Gently pulling down Louis’ trousers and with one hand cupped behind his neck, lowered Louis onto the mattress like he was a goddamn piece of precious jewelry. Louis was glad that Harry was already half naked and pulled on the draw strings of Harry’s sweatpants. “Not yet.” Harry said, knocking Louis’ hand aside. His voice low and it was the only thing that betrayed just how desperate he was. He wanted it as much as Louis wanted it, Louis realized. He smiled. “Why not?” He whined, looking up Harry who was towering over him through his eyelashes. “Wanna eat you out.” Harry said simply and Louis’ breath hitched. He was definitely going into heat. This boy was making him delirious. “Get on with it then.” He said, almost a whisper as he watched Harry lower himself between his legs. Louis watched, a bit awestruck, as Harry splayed his hands on both his thighs exposing his hole and making it flutter in the cold air. He suddenly felt embarrassed and vulnerable. Louis had always been quite confident with his body yet when it's Harry who was looking at him like that, he felt like he was suffocating. Harry leaned in and pressed a kiss to his hole. Louis jerked and grabbed Harry's hair just for something to steady himself. His hands slipped through the silky curls as the alpha licked into him. The strokes of Harry's tongue was steady and with intent. He soon had Louis sobbing into the sheets. His licks were merciless, as if punishing Louis for leaving, for sleeping with another alpha. Louis cried out when Harry's tongue entered his hole and he was leaking precome onto the sheets. He was so hard it hurts.

"I'm…" Louis took a deep breath. "I'm gonna come Harry." Harry answered by sinking his finger into Louis' hole as he continued to lick. Louis came with a high pitched cry. Some cum got into Harry's hair and he collapsed heaving onto the sheets. He flushed. That had to be the fastest orgasm of his life. He was thoroughly embarrassed. But Harry wasn't finished. He didn’t wait for Louis to come down from his high before sinking another finger into the sobbing omega. “Harry!” Louis cried out and Harry started to fuck him with just his fingers, long drags against his hole trying to find the spot that will break him. “Shhhh…” Harry breathed and added a third finger. Louis was hard again, his cock begging to be touched so he wrapped his fingers around himself, feeling his cock throb painfully.

Suddenly a shock of pleasure hit him and he cried out. Harry seemed to have found his prostate and before Louis could stop him, Harry was already pressing the tip of his thick cock against Louis’ hole. Lining up. Without another word, Harry pushed in and Louis could only clutch the alpha’s back wildly. He could feel Harry’s sweat on his arm and his leaking cock was trapped between their bodies, with enough friction to make Louis come yet again. Harry fucked, sweet and slow into him for a few seconds before picking up the pace, slamming into Louis’ prostate with every thrust. Louis was proper crying now as he practically screamed each time Harry’s thick cock hit his walls. He was so full of Harry that he clenched down hard, making the alpha above him groan in pleasure. Harry lasted longer than Louis did. He came with the sexiest deepest groan, filling Louis and collapsed onto the tiny omega. Louis could feel Harry’s knot growing, locking inside of him. He sighed at the tightness, at how big Harry’s knot swelled. He had never had one as big as Harry’s. Louis turned his face away from Harry, trying to hide his tears which, for some reason, hadn’t ceased. He felt Harry’s knuckle brush his cheekbones and suddenly the alpha grabbed him by the chin, yanking Louis’ face from where it was buried against the pillow. Harry’s pupils were dilated and little sliver of green was dark with lust. He simply looked at Louis for a moment because he brought his lips down into a bruising kiss.

**HARRY**

He kissed Louis, trying to pour all that was left unsaid into the kiss. He was still inside the omega as he rode out his orgasm. Louis’ lips were pressed tight together at first as Harry licked over his lips, prodding them insistently with his tongue and soon his mouth fell open letting Harry in. Harry kissed Louis deeply, aware that he tasted like come and probably like the cinnamon rolls he had been baking before Louis showed up out of the blue at his door. He wasn’t expecting the omega at all. He had figured he was probably going to spend the rest of the week at that white haired alpha’s place. Harry was sure that he had seen that alpha somewhere before… Louis gasped against Harry’s lips, but Harry continued to lick none too gently into Louis’ mouth. Louis’ small hands were still clutching his back and he could feel short stubby nails dig into his flesh as Louis struggled underneath him. He pulled back and let the omega gasp for air.

“Can’t breathe…” Louis’ voice was raspier than ever but just as high and as lovely. “Then don’t.” Harry said, sealing the omega’s lips shut again and swallowing Louis’ protest. He could feel wetness on Louis’ cheeks, the omega had been crying this entire time. Harry finally stopped long enough to lick away the saltiness from the omega’s skin. “Did I hurt you?” Harry asked, nosing against Louis’ cheek. Louis let out a wet laugh. “Yeah I reckon I am hurt. Didn’t know you had it in you. Harry,” Louis’ hands curled into Harry’s hair and the omega was tugging his face away to look deep into his eyes. “You act so different from how you fuck.” The omega concluded and Harry barked out a laugh. “That’s the first time anyone has said that to me… maybe it’s just you. I think I’m different when it comes to you, Lou. You make me not want to be gentle.” “What happened to the “ _I don’t want to hurt you”_ Harry Styles from before huh?” Harry snorted at Louis’ poor imitation of his slow voice. “I admit, I did lose control. You just make me so mad, Lou, all the time. You walked out on me with another alpha.” Louis sighed heavily. “For the last time, Harry. I don’t belong to you. I can do whatever I like.” He must have seen the hurt flash in Harry’s eyes because he reached down and gently swiped a thumb along Harry’s kiss swollen lips. “Okay, I was sort of a dick. ‘M sorry.” Harry smiled a little at this and he pressed a kiss against Louis’ finger. “You’ve been bad.” Harry whispered, leaning close. Louis rolled his eyes and smiled, the edges of his eyes crinkled. Harry had come to recognize that this meant that the smile was genuine and he felt elated. “Let me take care of you, tomorrow too. As long as your heat lasts.” He said boldly and for a second he thought Louis was going to refuse and push him away. But the omega sighed and nodded. Harry knocked their foreheads together. “Go to sleep.” He said, settling himself beside Louis and watched as the omega’s eyelashes fluttered and closed. “I still hate you, Harry Styles.” Harry just smiled and entangled their fingers together. Louis didn’t pull away.

Something heavy was sitting on his chest, making it a little to breathe. He could hear soft whimpering. He opened his eyes and thought that he was still dreaming. Louis was sitting on top of him with his tiny hands light against Harry’s throat. Louis’ blue eyes were wild and crazed. Harry realized that he must be in heat. “What do you want me to do?” Harry asked gently, steadying the omega by putting his hands on Louis’ hips. Louis continued to rut against Harry. Harry’s dick twitched, growing thick and hot as he felt it catching against Louis’ hole. Hell, the omega must have fingered himself open earlier. Louis didn’t respond as he continued to whimper and whine. Harry carefully sat up. He was able to move with Louis on top of him, the omega was that tiny. “Want me inside of you?” He asked and Louis seemed to nod at the words. Harry reached down and tugged at his cock a few times making himself harder. He took a deep breath and sank into Louis. Louis slid down easily on his cock, his slick leaking onto Harry’s hand which ended up trapped between Louis’ arse and the base of his cock. Harry eased it out as gently as he could as Louis started to rock against Harry’s cock, desperate it seemed to make Harry find his prostate. Harry wished he could capture his moment. Seeing Louis needing him. Seeing Louis using him to get off. He tightened his grip on Louis and shifted his hips upwards. Louis cried out as he rode Harry. Harry reached out to embrace the shaking omega, angling their bodies so that Louis was sitting directly on his dick. His lapful of omega sighed against Harry’s skin as Harry’s knot grew and swelled inside of him. Louis came with a cry as Harry thrust upwards just as Louis brought himself down on Harry’s cock. The omega went limp against Harry and Harry ran his fingers down Louis’ shaking back, soothing him and pressing soft kisses along his throat. Louis smelled like sex, omega and mangos. Harry was in heaven. His teeth grazed Louis’ mating spot and he was tempted, oh how tempted he was just to bite down hard. But he controlled himself and sucked a bruise into Louis’ collarbone instead. He licked and smoothed out the red love bite with his tongue. Louis was still limp and very much asleep in his arms. He carefully leaned back down into the sheets, letting the omega curl into him. He fell asleep watching Louis’ face against the light coming from the window, signaling the start of another day.


	3. Chapter Three

**LOUIS**

Louis couldn’t really remember what happened during the heat. Only that it was the best heat he had ever gone through. What’s more it only lasted one day and a half this time. With any other alpha, Louis had always had to endure two days of insatiable desire. He was too embarrassed to ask Harry what had happened but judging from the alpha’s smug smirks and private smiles being thrown his way, Louis could tell that he had been unusually clingy and probably _begged_ for sex more than once. Louis flushed at the thought. They were still lying in bed. Louis had gain his consciousness just hours before but he was too sore to move.

“How are you feeling?” He had asked Louis immediately when the omega cracked open an eye lazily. “What day is it?” “It’s Christmas. December 25th.” “My heat was that short?” “So it seems.” Louis slapped Harry’s chest, rolling his eyes. “We have to talk, Louis.” Harry said solemnly, letting Louis turn his slap into more of a pat. Louis ended up tracing the swallows on Harry’s chest. “What do these mean?” Louis asked pointedly, he really didn’t want to talk about it. He was suddenly aware that his hole was wet but he wasn’t leaking slick. It was Harry’s cum that was slowly running down his leg. He grimaced, trying to ignore the pounding of his telltale heart. “They mean we should talk about us, Lou.” Harry said unperturbed as he let Louis touch him. Louis raised an eyebrow. “There is no _us._ Haz… We’re friends. This is like friends helping friends out. You know the deal. Next time during your rut, I can help you out too. I have experience!” Louis offered in a light tone while inwardly cringing. No, he was lying. He had never shared a rut with any alpha before. “I don’t settle Harry. Thank you though, thank you for taking care of me during my heat.” Louis said, not daring to meet Harry’s piercing stare. “ _Look at me Louis_.” Louis winced at Harry’s alpha voice. He really hated it when alphas think they have the right to use their commanding voices to their own free will. It was fucking unfair, but Louis knew that Harry was furious right now. He looked up, meeting the grassy green eyes of the alpha who was breathing a little harder than before. They stared at one another.

“I can’t fuck you again, Lou. I don’t…” Harry took a deep breath, his chest shuddering under Louis’ stilled fingers. “I don’t want you if I can’t have _all_ of you.” It took some time for Louis to turn these words over in his mind. His heart was threatening to burst out of his chest. What does Harry mean by that? They weren’t in a relationship. Sure, the sexual tension was pretty obvious from day one but other than that… The feeling that Louis was experiencing felt so foreign and he was lost for words. The attraction, the blatant desire, the way that Harry looked at him, the way Louis caught himself looking at Harry. The obvious fact that Louis hadn’t need to take any sleeping pills since the night he began to sleep with Harry. He used to have a hard time getting a good night’s sleep but now that he has Harry in his arms, breathing in the alpha’s smell, sleep came almost too easily. These all added up to the fact that yes, Louis _liked_ Harry. More than he should. Suddenly the flash of memory hit him. He and Zayn standing in their small kitchen. _“_ _Don’t sleep with him, Lou. Don’t ruin it. We have got it good this time.”_ Zayn’s words echoed in his ears as he stared at Harry, at this alpha who was making Louis feel things he really shouldn’t. He had gone and done it. He had gone and slept with Harry. He had betrayed Zayn’s trust. He was going to ruin the band. He… He was going to have to break Harry’s heart.

**HARRY**

There were so many emotions flickering in Louis’ eyes that Harry struggled to read every single one of them. There was shock, sadness, anger but also pain. A lot of pain. “You do have me.” Harry’s breath hitched at the words. He wasn’t expecting Louis to say anything at all in return. He had expected Louis to leave like last time. Storm out of the room and find his way back to the white haired alpha. He could easily be replaced, Harry thought. It made his blood boil with jealousy. “Do I, Louis? Do I really?” He snapped back, letting his jealousy creep to the surface. The omega visibly winced, but Louis didn’t break eye contact. He held Harry’s gaze. Harry huffed out an impatient breath and took Louis’ hands in his own, engulfing the omega’s small hands and feeling them tremble. “Having _all_ of you means I get to kiss you, mark you, mate you, put babies into you. Spend the rest of your heats with you without you ever calling us _friends._ ” Harry knew it was jealousy speaking but he couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out. Might as well, he thought. “Can you really accept that, Louis? Can you even love?” It was no surprise when Louis jerked his hands from Harry’s. No surprise when Harry caught sight of a single tear trailing down Louis’ cheek. “Of course I can fucking _love_ , Harry. Just not _you_.” With that, Louis was out the door.

Harry didn’t miss the sound of the front door slamming from two stories down. He straightened up and peered through the window as he saw the hunched figure of the omega. It was snowing and Louis had only managed to grab a thin looking jacket in his haste. He watched as Louis turned, as if drawn by Harry’s gaze to look up at his bedroom window. They watched each other for another minute before Louis turned and practically raced down the alleyway, turning and disappearing into the mist of softly falling snow. Harry sank back into his bed, the alpha in him lashing out in disbelief that he hadn’t even attempted to chase Louis down. Merry fucking Christmas, he thought bitterly.

Niall, Zayn and Liam came back two days later, bringing in the Christmas cheer. Harry received some gifts including a lilac sweater from Niall (he knew it, Niall was a rich bastard), some cheap cologne from Liam (are you trying to tell me subtly that I stink, Liam? No, no, I can only afford these was the genuine reply he got from the other alpha) and some socks with weed patterns (that is how we met! Zayn had said jokingly)

“He’s um… spending his heat at some alpha’s place.” Harry had said when they asked him where Louis was. He had made sure to clean his bed thoroughly and double checked to be sure that the room didn’t smell like he and Louis’ mingled pheromones. Made sure that the room didn’t reek of heat sex. The other lads nodded, not questioning Harry’s lie and proceeded to talking about their families. It turned out Niall had gotten together with a girl from back home that he had known for ages and he was already planning on marrying her. “You’re too young, Niall.” Harry told him good naturedly as they gathered in the basement. Zayn had pulled out a box that looked suspiciously, most definitely like weed and was rolling up a joint. “Got this good shit from me mates back in Bradford. Trust me Harreh. You don’t know what is coming. This will change your perspective on weed, _forever._ ” Harry accepted the joint being passed to him, he needed to get high, he reasoned. To get rid of Louis from his mind. His heart ached. “Tommo says he won’t be back until later tonight.” Liam said from his corner where he was rifling through his backpack. He was pulling a notebook from it. A leather bound journal which he passed to Harry. Harry looked at Liam questioningly. “That. Is your real present, Harry.” Liam said proudly. “But you already gave me some cologne.” “That was just for the laughs, yeah?” Liam said grinning. “This,” He patted the notebook. “This is yours to keep. You can write down things that are bothering you. Or any inspiration for songs. Heck, you can even use it for grocery lists.” Harry laughed and pulled Liam into a crushing hug.

Two months ago he wouldn’t have imagined himself sitting here, passing joints and laughing with friends. He picked up a pen and tapped it against the journal’s cover. Then it hit him. He was going to write about Louis. Like he was capable of doing anything else, he thought smiling bitterly to himself. He was going to show Louis just how much Louis meant to him and if the omega shoots him down again, then it just meant that they weren’t meant to be. Harry opened the first page and on it he scrawled the words.

_Sweet Creature_

**LOUIS**

“For the last time, Stan, I don’t have pneumonia. Yes, my toes are falling off but I don’t have pneumonia. I don’t need to go to the doctor. I hate Dr. Winston, he’s a right prick. He tried to feel me up that one time, you remember?” “You had a cold that time Louis. He was just trying to take your temperature.” “Then why, pray tell, was his hand on my arse? You can’t take someone’s temperature by touching their arse.” Louis had run the whole three mile to Stan’s flat after he and Harry’s fight. In the fucking ankle high snow. He was freezing. He could practically see icicles forming on the tip of his nose. Stan had almost screamed in shock when he opened the door. “You look like the motherfucking walking dead, Lou… Jesus Christ…” Stan had ushered Louis in and was throwing blanket after blanket onto the shivering omega until Louis was basically a walking mountain of blankets. Louis’ nose was running and he felt his throat getting sorer by the minute. Fuck. Fuck Harry. But he could only blame himself. He didn’t have the heart to be mad at Harry. Not for a single second. It was him who had fallen for the alpha. Harry had been nothing but honest. Sincere, honest and so fucking _good_ to Louis that Louis just wished Harry would fuck him up like he did during his heat. He wished that Harry would rough him up, punch him or something. But in real life, Harry was so sweet, so gentle, so caring. Nothing. Absolutely nothing like the alphas Louis had been with before. Having had Harry, having tasted Harry meant that Louis could never go back. Couldn’t go back to the way he was. Couldn’t look at anyone unless it was Harry. Couldn’t let himself get fucked by none other than Harry. Louis was so screwed, so gone for the alpha that he started bawling again.

“What’s wrong, Lou?” Stan had gathered the sobbing omega into his chest, rocking him like a baby. “I think… I think I’m in some deep shit.” Louis cried into Stan’s shoulder and felt it stiffen under his words. “I-” He shuddered and hiccupped. “I think I like this guy, Stan. Like proper like _like_ him. It’s hurting so bad. Make it stop.” Stan pressed his face against Louis’ hair as the omega heaved out broken sobs. “Not with me I hope?” Stan had tried to say jokingly and Louis shook his head, not having the heart to hit Stan for his comment. “’Course not with you, you twat. With… Harry.” He sighed when he said the alpha’s name. It felt like a stone was lifted from his chest. Harry, _his_ Harry. Harry who had said he wanted to put babies in Louis. “Who’s Harry?” Stan mused. Louis didn’t even bother answering him. He had told Stan simply because Stan didn’t know who Harry was, or not yet. If he had confessed this to Niall or Liam, certainly not Zayn, he would have been screwed. “Do you want me to kill him for you? Bring back his dead body? Did he reject you or something?” Louis gathered his strength and hit Stan in the chest. “I wish Harry would reject me… He… He is just so _lovely_.” Louis sighed forlornly. Stan squinted down at him in confusion. “Wait, who rejected who? I am confused here.” Louis merely sighed some more. His head was beginning to throb and he still couldn’t feel his toes. “I didn’t want to reject Harry but I had to. He… should have rejected me in the beginning before we got ourselves too deep. It all went to shit, Stan. Our band’s future is at stake. I can’t _not_ have feelings for him…” Louis knew he was spewing nonsense now so he willed himself to stop. Stan was nodding along like he knew what every word meant. That’s why Louis liked Stan. He was always so understanding, although he could be quite a sarcastic little cunt. “Go to sleep, Lou, you’re running a fever. Don’t make me drag you to Dr. Winston…” Louis didn’t have the energy to argue or hit Stan so he simply drifted off into a feverish sleep. He dreamt of darkness and green eyes.

He jolted awake to the sound of his phone. He was feeling a little bit better. At least, his fever had gone down and his throat didn’t feel so much like sandpaper. Stan was dozing on the sofa at the corner of the flat. It was a text from Liam. Apparently the lads were all back from their respective Christmas holiday.

_R u ok? Do u need me to come get u?_

_Yeah, I’m ok. I’m at Stan’s._

_Harry said u were spending ur heat at an alpha’s place? Thought u said before that even if u and Stan were the last ppl on earth, u still won’t fuck him? What changed?_

_Nothing changed LIMA… I didn’t fuck Stan fyi_

_Oh ok good. Cuz like it would be awkward af_

_I changed my mind if it was down to me, u and Stan being the last humans on earth, I would rather fuck Stan instead of u_

_Comforting_

_Have u quite finished Liam._

_No, when r u coming home?_

_Later tonight. Don’t wait up._

_Merry Xmas Lou and Happy belated birthday_

_I am expecting Gucci bags and Rolex watches when I get back_

_In your wildest dreams Lou, c u later_

It turned out, it took four more hours for Louis to sleep off his cold. Three more Advil to get rid of his headache. Five more threats from Stan that all involved him going to see Dr. Winston (over Louis’ dead body more like). The snow was still falling softly as he trudged his way up to the apartment. He waved to Stan who had refused to pull away until he sees that Louis had properly entered the building. Louis had nowhere to run. He sighed, pulling Stan’s furry North Face jacket tight around his frame. He had probably lost a few pounds judging on that fact that he hadn’t been eating at all during his heats and only had a cup of instant ramen at Stan’s. He didn’t mind though. It made his cheekbones stand out even sharper although he did look quite like a drug addict when he caught a glimpse of himself in the hallway mirror. He attempted to sweep his fringe out of his eyes. His hair had grown long and his jaw was peppered with stubbles. He looked worse for wear.

He could hear laughter echoing up the staircase from the basement. He took a deep breath and realized that he had already grown so used to Harry’s dewy morning smell that he could pick it out from Liam’s musky one. He shrugged his shoulders, praying to the Gods above to lend him their strength and pushed open the door. The chatter ceased the second he entered the room. Naturally. All four heads snapped his way. He waved to the group at large, making sure to meet every pair of eyes. Harry didn’t look surprised that he was there. Liam must have told everyone that he was coming home later. The alpha was wearing a lilac sweater and it hung off his frame just right. _Be cool. Be cool._ Louis tried to picture the world ending and apes taking over the planet. Anything to stop himself from getting hard just at the mere sight of Harry. “Merry Christmas.” He said to the room at large and Niall was the first one to rush to him, knocking the air out of him with a tight hug.

“HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY LEWIS!” Niall screamed into his ear as Zayn joined them, then Liam and finally Harry. They were in a group hug and it felt like they were celebrating a football win instead of just greeting each other. Louis felt Harry’s hand grazed his elbow and Louis subconsciously reached out to touch Harry’s hip lightly. Niall was the first to pull away. “I’ve got a song that I finished working on over the break!” He said enthusiastically, shoving a piece of paper under Louis’ nose. “Let Lou have a break, Niall. He just got done with his heat. You must be exhausted.” Liam said, his eyebrows knitted in concern. “You look a little sickly.” Louis shook his head at this and mustered his face into a bright smile. “I’m great, fit as a fiddle. Now, Ni, show me that song of yours. I feel so out of practice.” Louis looked down and read the song title _Slow Hands_. The lyrics, were, very… Niall. After he had shown Louis _Temporary Fix_ , Louis had been quite shocked to find that church boy Niall was actually a bad boy with quite a dirty imagination. “And who had the honors of inspiring this song?” Louis asked after he had scanned over the lyrics. The lyrics were very explicit. “Apparently Niall got himself attached to this bird at home during the holidays.” Zayn explained. “What’s her name?” “Hailee.” Niall said dreamily and Louis snorted. “I think the song is great. The energy is there I can feel it.” He told Niall. “Why don’t you play it for us?” Niall didn’t need to be told twice. He was already plucking at his guitar. The night passed just like any other night. Music, laughter, more music. The only strange thing was that Louis and Harry didn’t exchange a single word.

That night, Louis stayed in his own bed. Of course. He didn’t dare to step into Harry’s room again. He probably wouldn’t, ever. But he just couldn’t fall asleep. No matter how hard he tried. So he padded to the kitchen, downed two glasses of water and made his way into Zayn’s room. Zayn wasn’t sleeping, instead he was lounging in his bed, sketching away. “Hey.” Louis said, shuffling his feet a little awkwardly. Zayn gestured wordlessly for him to sit and Louis lay down beside Zayn and watched as Zayn shaded the lips of the sketch of a woman. “Who’s that?” “This girl I met at the gas station the other day.” Zayn said, shading her lips a dark purple. The color could rival a plum. “She’s pretty.” Louis concluded. Zayn peered at him over his sketchbook and snapped it shut. “Are you guys seeing each other?” He asked as Zayn turned to slip the sketchbook under his pillow. “No, we’re not.” Zayn replied and he was contemplating Louis with this dark and brooding look. Louis was quite used to this look since he had seen it countless times. Many a time, Zayn had looked at him like this when Louis ended up following random alphas out of clubs. “Why not? She too good for you or sommit?” Louis asked. He was beginning to sweat a little and it felt good for change. He wasn’t really fond of winter, especially not after his three mile run in the snow days before. “Sommit like that, yeah.” Zayn replied lamely. He never gave away many details about his love life and Louis didn’t like to pry. Except tonight he felt like prying.

“Same reason why you and Harry aren’t together.” Louis wasn’t expecting that at all. He was so shocked that he almost tumbled out of the bed in his haste to sit up. Zayn grabbed him calmly by the arm to hoist him away from the edge of the bed. “Jesus, Lou. I’m not that dim. I can tell something happened. So you gonna talk about it or not?” Louis regarded Zayn wearily. He couldn’t. He couldn’t tell Zayn of all people even though he tells Zayn everything. Zayn was the one who had told Louis not to mess it up between him and Harry. “I don’t…” He mustered up all his strength and through gritted teeth said quietly, “Nothing happened between me and Harry, okay?” Zayn’s gaze was so intense that it could probably drill a hole in the center of Louis’ forehead. Right between his eyes. “I might have… developed… _feelings._ For the alpha that I spent my heat with this time.” Louis said in a rush, cringing a little. “Oh?” Zayn prompted, looking rather amused, “I thought the Tommo is incapable of _feeling_. Didn’t you say you would never, ever, _ever_ get attached to any alpha? I remember you even swore on it, pricked your thumb with a needle and everything.” “That was in high school, Zayn.” “So this alpha, who is it?” Zayn asked conversationally. “Who has the power to make the Tommo have _feelings_?” Louis pursed his lips. “That is none of your business, Z.” He said, still not daring to push Harry’s name from his lips. It was at the tip of his tongue, though. Sitting there, waiting to burst out of Louis’ mouth. “I’m happy for you Louis. I always thought you will never settle down. Honestly, sometimes the people you take home are… not really worth your time, to say the least.” Zayn was smiling as he reached out to card his hand through Louis’ fringe. Louis leaned into the touch, purring a little. He knew he could count on Zayn. But what the beta said next, made his blood run cold. “As long as the alpha isn’t Harry. I think you and your secret alpha could be quite happy together.” Louis didn’t let his shock betray him as he said in a calm voice, barely trembling at the edges, “Harry isn’t that bad…” Zayn snorted. “Of course Harry’s not bad. Harry wouldn’t hurt a fly. The lad’s brilliant, very talented.” Zayn mused. “It’s just that I don’t think it would work out between you guys.” He pulled Louis’ hair lightly. “Remember Greg James? The guy was so in love with you that he didn’t even bother to show up to practice because he had spent three hours at the mall, picking out a present for you. It wasn’t even your birthday, Lou. I don’t need to see that happening again.” Zayn scrunched his nose in disapproval. He ranted on before Louis could protest. “AND the guy before that, what’s his name… Ah, Calum! Calum something. He was great on the bass, that one. He ALSO fell for you and even got arrested cuz you convinced him to drive you across town even though he was still underage. It almost put our band out of business until we finally got Greg on.” Louis felt ashamed and guilty. “Don’t cry, Lou.” Zayn gathered the omega into his arms. “It’s just that… you’re an omega right… and it’s rare for omegas to be lead vocalists and you are proving a lot to the world. It’s hard to resist you I know. I don’t think there is anyone out there that won’t fall at your feet if you ask them to. But Harry is doing so well at resisting your charms and making everything work. I really think we can be signed this time around. Remember the gig we did at _The Rogue_? Tom told me in secret that some people from Syco showed up. They were impressed with our original songs. We got this, Lou. We’re so close I can taste it. There will be another gig next week and this time, I heard that some of Syco’s big and important people are going to show up. I already told the other lads, I just didn’t want you to freak you out and make you all nervous.” Louis couldn’t breathe.

Syco. Syco was a huge record company that had made more than one band famous in its lifetime. This was their chance. All that Louis had worked for, all that he had sacrificed, all they had sacrificed. Him, Niall, Zayn, Liam. And now, Harry. They were going to be big he knew it. “We can’t fuck this up.” He found himself saying. “No, we can’t.” Zayn agreed petting his head. “We have worked too hard to be here. Besides we gotta work on some new tunes, we shouldn’t recycle the same shit again. They loved our original songs, Lou. Niall’s got _Slow Hands_ , Liam said he was working on this song called _Walking in the Wind_ which is really fucking brilliant and now you and Harry should both write a song. I’ve been at work too.” Zayn fished out his sketch book again and flipped to the very last page. Louis read the title, _Half a Heart_. Louis’ mind flashed back to the abandoned notebook lying opened on his desk in the next room. He had already written almost half of a new song that he had been secretly working on since he had met Harry. It was for Harry, actually. It felt so personal that he just couldn’t bring himself to show anyone else. “Yeah.” He breathed. “Five songs. Five songs that come solely from us.”

_I was stumbling, looking in the dark with an empty heart_

_But you say you feel the same_

_Could we ever be enough? Baby we could be enough_

Louis didn’t realize he was crying until tear drops fell and made the word “empty” indecipherable.


	4. Chapter Four

**HARRY**

They had to learn four new songs for the gig two weeks later. The possibility of making a name for themselves was at its highest, according to Zayn. Harry poured over the music day and night. He even took the bass to work at the supermarket. Not wasting a minute of his lunch break and practicing in the parking lot out back. He had gathered quite a crowd after his brief practice session there and it was a good chance to spread the word. He had almost met a really nice omega by the name of Fionn yesterday, who had promised to be there at the gig. It was a good change of air, Harry decided. He had been feeling rather suffocated at band practice these days. What’s more, he was now doing the normal afternoon shifts at the supermarket which meant that he had some time before practice to finish his course works. It took his mind off things, off Louis.

Harry still didn’t show anyone what he had written. He had written the song _Sweet Creature_ for Louis and he didn’t want the song to be sung by Louis but by himself. He wanted Louis to know how he felt and he could only do that through singing his own work. It was also the first song he had ever written. It was pretty embarrassing even though the lyrics were heartfelt. Harry had never been quite as confident when it came to his singing. He had always thought his voice was a tad too deep, too monotonous to actually sound good.

He and Louis hadn’t spoken since that day. They avoided each other like the plague and only interacted during band practice. The other three boys, it seemed, were all too busy writing their own songs that no one commented or noticed the change between them. He didn’t expect to find himself, one Thursday night, alone in the basement with Louis. The other boys had gone to a frat party on campus to blow off some steam. Harry was sure that Louis would tag along, but apparently not. He sat on the hard wooden floor, furthest from the tiny omega lying in the bean bag and crossed his feet as he strummed Niall’s guitar. Even though he was sitting this far away, Louis’ smell was still strong in the air. Harry tried not to breathe in too deeply. He was working on _Sweet Creature_ ’s melody and even though Louis was in the room, Harry was sure that without the lyrics Louis wouldn’t really know what he was up to. Harry became so absorbed that he didn’t notice Louis sidling up to him until he spotted bare feet in his peripherals. He looked up as Louis handed him a sheet of music. “Can you play this?” Louis’ raspy voice sounded foreign in his ears. “ _Please_.” Harry wanted to refuse. Wanted Louis to know that he was still mad. Wanted Louis to know that he had hurt Harry, had trampled all over his heart. Harry swallowed and nodded curtly. Louis let out a breath of relief and Harry counted to five out loud before he launched into play. Louis began to sing.

_So hot that I couldn’t take it_

_Want to wake up and see your face_

_And remember how good it was being here last night_

_Still high with a little feeling_

_I see the smile as it starts to creep in_

_It was there,_

_I saw it in your eyes_

As Louis sang on, Harry could feel hot anger slowly boiling in his stomach. The fire of rage was scorching hot. Louis had no _right_. Louis’ beautiful voice had no right to be singing this song. This song was clearly about them. Harry remembered the nights when Louis would crawl into his bed. He remembered how he had loved waking up to Louis still snoring softly, plastered to his back. He remembered being high on the smell of Louis, on the banter between them, on the comforting thought that Louis had chosen him. _Him_ over some unknown faceless alpha to spend a night with. Even though he couldn’t have Louis the way he wanted, couldn’t touch Louis the way he craved to, couldn’t make Louis accept his love, it was still a comfort to feel the omega in his bed even when Louis’ heart wasn’t. His fingers stuttered to a halt and Louis’ singing trailed off. The omega audibly cleared his throat. “I wrote this song… for you.” Louis said into the silence and Harry had had enough. He stood up, towering over the cowering omega.

“Do you have any idea what you _do_ to me? What you are _doing_ to me?” Louis was taking a step back as Harry marched forward. He grabbed Louis’ by the wrist and held on tight. “You’re killing me, Lou.” He almost whispered as he backed Louis into the wall behind them. “You’re fucking taking the piss outta this aren’t you?” Harry said through gritted teeth as he looked down at the omega and saw blatant fear in the blue eyes blinking up at him. “Harry...” Before Louis could finish, Harry kissed him. Kissing him shouldn’t feel so right, Harry tried to reason with himself but it was no use. Kissing Louis made him feel at home with all his feelings. Kissing Louis chased his worries away. He could only focus on the soft thin lips against his plump ones. Could only hear the soft signs and whimpers as he deepened the kiss. Louis didn’t stop him. He was pulling Harry closer, hands laced around the back of Harry’s neck, pulling him down so that Harry was the same height as him. Always so stubborn.

Harry slid his hands down Louis' back and lifted Louis' thighs so that he could pin the omega against the wall. Louis' breath hitched and he locked his delicate ankles around Harry's waist. They finally broke away from each other both gasping for air. Harry felt the hard line of his erection against Louis' and he pressed in. " _Oh_!" Louis breathed as Harry rubbed their cocks together, the rough material of their jeans made Harry's head raw as his cock strained against his pants. Louis' eyes fluttered shut as Harry continued to grind against him. Harry moved his hands from Louis' thighs to the omega's arse. Kneading the handful of meat there. He had always wondered how Louis kept his arse looking the way it did even though the omega was quite skinny and all sharp edges. Louis threw his head back as Harry grind down hard. Harry sucked eagerly into the exposed line of Louis' throat. A love bite high enough for the world to see and could only be hidden if Louis wore a scarf or a high turtleneck. God, Harry wanted to know what Louis looked like in a turtleneck. Just the thought alone made him fully hard and he almost came in his pants if it weren't for Louis' breathy " _Please fuck me_." And who was Harry to deny him, this omega who was most certain the love of his life.

The omega shoved him away, clawing desperately at his own belt and then Harry's. Harry took to unbuckling his own belt after watching Louis struggling with it. He pulled off his tight jeans swiftly and Louis did the same. As soon as they were both naked, Harry picked Louis up by the thigh and slammed him down onto the sofa. He was so full of desire and anger that he wasn't gentle at all. This seemed to not upset Louis at all. What's more, seeing Harry act out violently, seemed to turn the little omega on even more. Harry could see the desire in those sea blue eyes. Louis was already wet with slick and he was arching up towards Harry, begging to be fucked. So Harry lined himself up and slid into the omega without fingering him open first. Louis let out a bloodcurdling cry and Harry silenced him with a kiss. He swallowed Louis' cries and he began to fuck into the omega. Louis' dick throbbed between them and Harry stroked it lovingly. Louis clenched down hard, making Harry lose his tempo for a moment. He felt like he was on cloud nine. He came before Louis and with one quick tug, he slid out of Louis and before the omega could protest, took Louis into his mouth. "Harry!" Louis cried as Harry sucked mercilessly at Louis' cock. Harry licked fat strips down Louis' length and sucked the head teasingly. Louis was crying now, more from pleasure than from sadness really. "Harry. Harold. Haz…" Louis screamed all versions of his name out as Harry continued working at his cock. "I'm coming. I'm close. Please!" And with one more hard slurp, Harry sent Louis over the edge and Louis' come hit the back of his throat. Normally he always detested swallowing but with Louis it was different. It was always different with Louis. Harry swallowed as much as he could and leaned up to kiss Louis hard on the mouth. "Love me goodbye." He heard Louis mumbled against his kiss. Harry didn’t really know what it meant. But the word love triggered him and before he could stop himself he has said it, "I love you." He told Louis bravely. Looking down at the omega, his breath still tasting of mangos.

"I know." Louis’ words brought him to a standstill. Louis was acknowledging him instead of shooting him down like last time. "But not yet. Just a little longer Harry." Louis said before pressing a soft kiss to Harry's lips. Harry could only nod. Not missing the prickle of tears in the corner of his eyes. 

**LOUIS**

They have finally decided on the set list.

_Better than Words_

_Half a Heart_

_Slow Hands_

_Walking in the Wind_

And finally to finish it off, Louis' baby _Home_

They stayed up all night before the gig too nervous to sleep. They had dragged down Louis' mattress from the first floor down to the basement and had found two extra sleeping bags around the apartment. They borrowed one more from Josh who was just as excited for their gig as they were. "I'm buying the first round of shots!" Josh had announced winking at them. Niall made Josh pinky swear on it. "You two should take the mattress since you guys practically sleep together anyways." Niall said pushing Louis and Harry towards the mattress on the floor. Harry shrugged and Louis flushed a little at the memory of them fucking just hours before. They had managed to clean up before the lads got home from the party. Only Liam had commented on how the room smelled a little _weird_. Thank god Zayn and Niall were betas. They talked late into the night and Zayn wondered out loud who Syco was going to send and what they might look Iike. "What if Lou try to hit on someone from Syco? I hear all the big bosses are alphas." Niall said jokingly into the darkness. Harry's wandering hand which had found itself rubbing soothing circles into Louis' palm jerked to a halt. Louis turned his head a little but since there was no window in the basement, he was looking at pitch black darkness. He laced Harry's fingers together with his, hoping that the touch would calm the alpha down. "I don't flirt with every alpha I see… Why are you making me sound so _sleazy_ Neil." Louis retorted. "You do flirt with every alpha you see." Harry, Liam and Zayn said in unison and Niall laughed maniacally. "You're very dirty." Louis felt Harry's warm breath against his ear. It tickled. He reached up into the darkness, finding Harry's jaw and traced it. Harry sighed into his touch. "I'm dirty and you love it." Louis said quietly. Liam's foot came out of nowhere, catching Louis in the shin. "I can hear you guys." Liam complained as Louis hit him hard in what he assumed to be Liam's stomach which turned out to be Niall's nose. The beta howled in pain. "Who said sleeping together was a good idea?" Niall asked into the dark and they fell asleep to the sound of their echoing laughter bouncing off the basement walls.

Louis was suffering from a little stage fright as he peered through the door of Tom's office. He was trying to see if he could make out who the people from Syco were. He felt his stomach lurch uncomfortably. "Stop that." He felt large hands pulling him back and Harry was closing the office door. Louis leaned into his touch after he made sure that Zayn wasn't in the room with them. Zayn was still setting up his drums on stage. Louis pressed himself back so that his and Harry's bodies were aligned. He looked back up at the alpha. Harry had a green headscarf wrapped around his long curls and was wearing a sheer floral patterned shirt. He looked more like a grandma on vacation in Hawaii. A really sexy grandma if that. Louis licked his lips and he felt the heat of Harry's gaze tracking his mouth. "You'll be brilliant out there Lou. Break a leg." Harry said, his dimples on full display as Louis watched him. "You are so cliché Harold. Is that the best pep talk you can come up with?" Louis said sarcastically, reaching out to smooth out the wrinkles on Harry's shirt. "You're wearing eyeliner." Harry stated. "Yeah. Proper punk rock." Louis smirked. "Lou, none of the songs we are singing tonight scream punk rock." Louis waved Harry off as Tom entered the room. "Righto. You guys are on in five!" He told Louis and Harry. Louis stiffened and swayed a little on his feet. This was it. "You should wear it more often. Eyeliner." Harry said into his ear as they let themselves be ushered out of the room by Tom. "Oi, stop flirting the lot of you." The older alpha said, pushing them towards the stage. Louis flipped Tom the bird just as Harry leaned down to kiss Louis. Right before they ascended the stairs to the small stage. Louis felt as if the brief touch of their lips had given him all the power in the world. 

The lights went down. The crowd was eerily quiet. Louis stepped up to the mic. He chanced a glance at the lads behind him. All of them looked ready. "Welcome to _The Rogue_ tonight ladies and gents. We're One Direction. And this is _Better than Words._ " 

**HARRY**

They owned the crowd. The crowd went wild for them, cried for them and screamed for them. Harry could feel the adrenaline coursing through his own body. ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! They had rushed off the stage and were huddled together, panting while trying to decide on what to sing for the encore. It was now or never, Harry thought. "Lads." He said, waiting patiently for everyone's attention to fix onto him. "I have a new song that I want to play." He said over the din of the pub. They all stared at him. "Now is not the time to be joking Harold. We have got to go on, right fucking now." Louis was situated directly across from Harry in the huddle. "Yeah, we can't learn a new song right now Harry." Niall said as Liam skipped over to them, joining the huddle. He looked a little ridiculous in his suit and tie at the local pub. But the alpha had insisted that his outfit gave off "manager vibes" and it would make the band look more significant and professional. No one had the heart to argue with Liam. Zayn tapped his drumsticks impatiently against his knees. "Do you guys trust me?" Harry asked the other four boys. They all nodded. "Right then. Let me go on. _Alone_." There was beat of silence then all four burst out in protest. What surprised him most was Louis yelling over the ruckus at some point. "Everyone shut up and let Harry do his thing!" Zayn immediately rounded on the small omega. "You can't be serious Lou. We're a band… we can't let Harry go on alone!" "Well, we sure damn well are a band! This is just the encore, Z. Harry clearly _needs_ it." "What the fuck Louis." Zayn sounded out every syllable. His eyes flicked from Harry to Louis and down at Harry's hand against his chest, holding him back from invading Louis' space. His nostrils flared. "So you did fuck him." Zayn directed the question which was more of a statement towards Louis. The omega didn’t reply, he just reached out and dragged Harry forward by the collar of his shirt. He pushed Harry onto the stage as the screams from the crowd grew louder.

Harry stumbled forward to the mic. Picking up Niall's guitar along the way. He tapped his lips and pointed his index finger up, a move that he had seen Louis do a number of times before, signalling for Tom to turn up his mic.

"Umm...hi, I'm the bassist for One Direction. I'm Harry." A chorus of _Hi, Harry_ ran out through the crowd. "I'm the encore." Harry explained and some people whistled. He could see the other four boys making their way through the crowd to the bar. Louis was getting more pats on the back compared to the other three boys. Harry felt the familiar prick of jealousy under his skin. "The song I'm going to play is actually the first song I've ever written. I just wanna say that," He took a deep breath. "I love this song as much as I love the person I wrote this for. This is _Sweet Creature._ " 

It was a slow, melodic song. One that shouldn't be played in a pub where people had come for the purpose of getting drunk and dance until morning. One that should be played in the privacy of the bedroom, away from prying eyes. Harry sang and the crowd listened. He sang with his eyes, never leaving Louis'. He sang as he saw tears rolling down the omega's cheeks. He sang as he saw Louis barging towards the stage, pushing people roughly aside. He managed to sing the last part of the chorus before Louis was launching himself at Harry. 

_Sweet creature, sweet creature_

_When I run out of road, you bring me home_

_You'll bring me home_

**LOUIS**

It was so cliché. Harry was so fucking cliché. Louis was already so in love that he couldn't see straight. He didn't kiss Harry on stage, he suppressed the urge until they were off stage. He didn't get the chance to even breathe a word to the alpha before Tom was pulling him towards a group of people standing near the entrance to the pub. Louis tensed up as he sensed that they were all alphas. "This is Louis Tomlinson. The lead vocalist." The two men and a woman turned to face him. "Your voice is so unique." The woman gushed, smiling brightly at Louis. "Very." The man beside her chimed in. "You are exactly what we're looking for. But there is just one small problem. We don't have a contract ready here for your band… We have one ready for _you._ " The second man who was standing in the shadows pushed himself off the wall and Louis recognized the head of greying hair. It was Simon Cowell. The head of Syco. "A lead vocalist who is an omega. How _intriguing_. The mere idea of it made me come out here tonight." Simon said scrutinizing Louis like he was a chess piece. Louis suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Where was Harry? He called out silently for the alpha. "What do you say Louis?" The woman prompted, her teeth were a little stained from her lipstick. Louis shuddered at the thought of leaving the boys behind and becoming a poster child for these greedy people.

"No." He said, pulling away as Simon reached out towards him. "No!" He knocked into the woman who was still smiling at him, sickeningly sweet. "I believe no means no." The smell of dewy grass filled Louis' nostrils and he felt himself relax as a protective arm snaked around his middle. "Once you say no to us, there is no second chance, Mr. Tomlinson." Simon said looking from Harry to Louis. "Like Harry just said. No means no." Louis found himself saying. He felt taller all of a sudden as he stared Simon down. "Once I walk out those doors," Simon continued in a calm tone, "you will never see me again." Louis held his ground. He could feel Harry's other hand lightly pressed against his hip. "Goodbye and good riddance." He said and turned his back on the three alphas. His eyes found Tom, who was watching the exchange with mouth gaping wide. "I'm sorry Tom. We're apparently bad business…" He said apologetically and Tom, shaking himself out of some kind of trance, grimaced at Louis. "I should be the one to say sorry Tommo. I had no idea they were _this_ horrible, bloody hell. Don't ever come back to me pub again!" He yelled at the three retreating figures. Louis giggled. "You guys play the best gigs." Tom assured him. "Should play every night I reckon." Louis smiled at that and nudged Harry. "Only if Harry sings _Sweet Creature_ for every encore." Harry turned beet red. "I will never sing that song again." The alpha said in a petrified whisper.

Later, he found Zayn smoking outside, leaning against a lamppost in front of _The Rogue_. "Do you want me to go with you?" Harry had asked but Louis had shaken his head at the concerned alpha. He let Harry scent him before the alpha reluctantly let go. "I'll be watching you." He leaned up for a kiss and Harry obliged, smiling against his lips. "You're always watching me." Louis had teased. 

"Zayn." It was the beginning of January. The sky was still dark, like a never-ending abyss of blackness saved by the occasional lamppost dotting the street. Pub goers littering the street here and there. People laughing, stomping through the light snow to get home and into a warm bed. "When did you guys… become a thing?" Zayn flicked his cigarette, he offered one to Louis but the omega shook his head. In the shadows, Louis could make out a shape of another person behind Zayn. It was a girl who looked really familiar somehow. Louis turned his attention back to the beta. "Me and Harry. We're together." He said simply. Zayn snorted. "I suspected." He mused. "After all, it's the way he looks at you. He looks at you, Lou, really looks at you. Not with lust like all the other fuckwads you've had before. And it's a… nice change." Louis flushed a little. "I… I haven't been completely honest, Z… I'm sorry I went back on my promise." He stood up a little. "But then again, I'm not that sorry. I like Harry. Genuinely." Zayn let the burning cigarette butt fall to the snow covered ground. It sizzled a little. "Heard your conversation earlier. With Syco. You could have said yes. We would have understood. It was all you wanted, Louis. A ticket out of this shithole." The girl beside Zayn shifted, nudging him a little. Louis could make out her profile. She was really pretty. Her lips were painted an unusual color of purple. "It's not a shithole, Z. Everything I have, my life, you guys, the band, my people, they are all here. We're here Zayn. I'm not going to pack up and just leave. If we leave we leave together." He said solemnly and he meant every word. Zayn's face slowly split into a grin, eyes crinkling. "You're right. I do like him." The girl piped up, she had quite a thick accent, one that almost rivaled Louis'. "Lou, this is Perrie. Her family owns Edwards Records." Louis' jaw dropped. Edwards Records was the second biggest record label in the UK. "You're that girl. Zayn draws you!" Perrie raised an eyebrow, turning to Zayn who had schooled his expression into something unreadable. But the corner of his mouth was twitching. "I hope I look better in person." Perrie said to Louis. They laughed. "I actually met Zayn a year ago. But," She jabbed a finger accusingly in the beta's chest. "He didn't think we were a thing until pretty much a week ago. He has some serious commitment issues. I don't know if you influence him or if it's the other way round." Zayn sighed and reached out to brush a hair out of Perrie's face. "You know I love you." Louis didn't know that Zayn was this sappy. He mentally took notes so that he could tease his best friend later on. "Perrie's in town cuz she wanted to hear our music. She reckons that her dad would sign us and even get an album out before summer comes." Zayn said and Louis' heart skipped a beat. He looked from Perrie to Zayn. "AND it's not because I am sleeping with this dude." Perrie said reassuringly. Louis choked out a laugh. "Oh my god. Edwards Records." He managed to say. He was truly lost for words.

"Umm… Louis? Your alpha has been staring at us through the window for some time now. Do you want to invite him out?" Perrie said, pointing a finger at _The Rogue_ 's window. Sure enough Harry, looking every bit like a creepy frog, was pressed up against the pub’s stained windows. His green eyes wide and never leaving Louis. Louis laughed. The beginning of dawn began to paint the skies, washing away the blackness turning it navy and light blue.

**HARRY**

"This song is so… depressing. It's good, Lou. Anything you write is fucking good but this one… it's just so sad." Harry said from where he was lying on his stomach on his bed, Louis' notebook opened in front of him. Louis was lounging beside him, playing with his hair. "Oh? _Love you Goodbye_? Yeah, I guess. Mind you, I wrote it during the time when we weren't talking." Louis said, tugging on a curl. Harry grimaced. "Tell you what," Louis must have sensed the shift in his mood. "I'll give you a blowjob, make it up to you and everything." Harry raised an eyebrow, ignoring the way his dick twitched in interest. "You don't have to offer blowjobs. Just tell me you love me." He found himself saying. Well, Harry knew the jealous part of him will always become more dominating and prominent when it came to Louis but what can he do? Louis was _his_. "Give me a little more time, Haz." Louis said, poking his pinky into Harry's dimple as he pouted. "We've only been dating for what… three months? You have to properly _woo_ me, Styles. I'm an omega who deserves to be _wooed_." "Do you? You begged me to fuck you only a month after we met, Lou." Louis waved a hand as if dismissing Harry's comment. "Irrelevant. I was in heat, Harold." "But… I want you all the time Louis. I want to skip the wooing part." Harry whined. He placed his hand possessively over Louis' heart. It was beating fast against his fingers. "I'm trying to make up for lost time. We lost so much time together." He sighed. "We're not fifty years old Harold. We have an eternity… together. You can just woo me with songs. Like you did with _Sweet Creature._ " Harry groaned, getting up and trapping Louis in his arms. He looked down at the omega who was blinking innocently up at him. Louis was never going to let him hear the end of it. Just then, the bedroom door burst open. "Go away, Neil!" Louis said, not looking up to see who had barged in. "Christ." Niall said from the door. "Will I ever get a chance to see you two not wrapped up in each other? Have you two packed? We're heading down to London tomorrow mate!" "If you're nervous Neil, go bother Liam… Harry and I are busy." Louis said the same time as Harry responded, "Yes, we've already packed." It was only for the weekend anyways. They were scheduled to go play some songs for Perrie's dad, owner of Edwards Records. They will be back in time for Harry, Niall and Liam to go to class. Uni felt like a lifetime away. It was almost a dream, life before Louis.

The things Harry used to care so much about, his papers, his classes, his job, they all dimmed in comparison to Louis. Louis brought excitement, adventure into Harry's life. He introduced Harry to music, to possibilities, to daring to dream and ask for more. "I love you." He blurted, the wave of emotions hit him. "I love you more than I should." He said as he heard Niall's faint groan from the doorway. "Don't stop loving me." Louis said from underneath him, arching up to bring their lips together. "Really guys? Right in front of Liam's salad?" Niall said throwing up his hands as Liam passed by the bedroom door with a salad bowl in hand.

It took Louis almost three more months (not that Harry was counting) to say _I love you_. It was during Harry's rut as well. Which meant that he could have just easily imagined the whole thing. He didn't care. He realized he had long stopped caring whether or not Louis repeated those three words back to him. Louis was showing his love for Harry through his kisses, his whispers, his lyrics. It was more than enough. As long as Louis is in his bed, he has the omega's heart. 

**LOUIS**

_There's nothing I'm running from_

_You make me strong_

"I love you." He whispered, a tremor in his voice, to the already sleeping form of Harry that night after they came back from _The Rogue_. Perrie and Josh, in turn, had bought them so many rounds of shots that even Niall got drunk. Early January had never felt so warm with Harry back in his arms. He tested the words, so very strange, on his tongue. He tossed his pen aside, closing his notebook. He had written a new song, _Strong_ and actually finished it in just one day. He watched as the sun crept up in the sky outside the window. Sunlight fell on Harry's peaceful face. He was so beautiful. Louis vowed to practice saying those three words every night.

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY WORK! I CAN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE ACTUALLY READ IT.... It is a little rushed I guess since I did it in only a week! Special shout out to Russian readers! There's a Russian translation coming soon! Thank you all so much!


End file.
